loading
loading
Drug rape killer should never have been freed, says victim - Published A man who drugged multiple women over a 40-year period and eventually killed his partner should never have been released from prison, according to one of his victims. Richard Scatchard was jailed twice but released from prison on licence in 2013. He went on to kill Kelly Faiers in 2023, by coercing her into taking sleeping tablets after drinking alcohol. Some experts and a former police detective believe he should not have been free to kill her, having shown signs he was a danger to women. Krystyna, 70, has waived her legal right to anonymity to speak publicly for the first time about her abuse by Scatchard. He went on the run after Kelly's death, and was found dead in a caravan park six months later. The National Crime Agency has said there is an "urgent need" to deal with what it said is a growing international issue of men drugging and raping women - sometimes filming the assaults and posting them online. 'I feared he would kill me' "I went from having a safe, happy life to not having a life," says Krystyna. She became friends with Scatchard in 1997 and used to walk his dog and go for meals with him. But soon Scatchard invited her into his home, encouraging her to drink wine - which unbeknown to Krystyna he had drugged. Krystyna recalls: "When I used to be coming round, I'd have no clothes on." "I knew what he was doing was really bad. I didn't dare open my eyes because I thought if I did, he might kill me," she adds. At first, Krystyna did not tell anyone what was happening, partly out of shame and partly out of denial. But when Scatchard started to stalk and harass her, she went to police and revealed her belief he was drugging her. "I told them about how I'd have to stop my car on the way home because I was being sick in the hedge and my car was all over the show on the motorway." Scatchard was arrested for drugging Krystyna and two other women. He had filmed his crimes, and was given four life sentences at Warrington Crown Court in 2000. Krystyna says: "I was told by a professional afterwards that it was on his agenda to kill me." She believes Scatchard should never have been released from prison, saying the judge in his summing-up said "he would always be a danger to women". The whole experience has been life-changing for Krystyna. She lost friends, her job and even ended up homeless for a period of time because of the stigma and effect on her. The Chemical Killer: Death by Dating When Kelly Faiers dies suddenly, her family discover her partner's hidden criminal past. 07/09/2026 Scatchard, originally from Scotland, was previously jailed in 1986 after drugging and attempting to kidnap a woman he knew. He ran her over with his car, and when police searched it, they reported finding a body bag inside. Dame Nicole Jacobs, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales, says his case demonstrates how drug-facilitated sexual abuse has been "hidden in plain sight for many years". She believes more needs to be done to tackle what she calls a "horrific form of domestic abuse". Dame Nicole also says Scatchard's story raises serious questions about whether the systems for monitoring and managing dangerous abusers are strong enough to prevent repeat offending. Her concerns are shared by a former police detective who worked on Krystyna's case in 2000. Marcia, who did not want her full name used, also believes Scatchard should not have been released from prison in 2013. "We have a serial rapist who has never changed their MO (modus operandi) and always behaved in the way they've behaved," she says. "Why someone thought all of a sudden he would change for no reason is beyond me. "It's a shame that the criminal justice system does let itself down when it comes to serial offenders like him." 'Devious' behaviour BBC West Investigations has obtained a copy of the notes from Scatchard's parole hearing. While they acknowledge some of his behaviour was still problematic, it was decided his risk of reoffending had been reduced enough for him to be released - with 10 licence conditions. These included declaring relationships to his probation officer and not contacting previous victims. In 2020, he moved to Minehead in Somerset and met Kelly Faiers on a dating app in 2022. He breached his licence conditions by not declaring their relationship, and using a second mobile phone to hide his dating site activity. Police were allowed to search his phone but were unaware of his second device. His deceit also included not telling Kelly his real name, calling himself Richard Dunlop. An inquest in July concluded Kelly had been unlawfully killed after being coerced into taking too many sleeping tablets after drinking alcohol. It was only after Kelly's death that her family were told his real surname and internet searches revealed his criminal past. They say they have been unable to grieve properly, and that the Probation Service especially "failed" to do its job. "I feel he was always going to do it to someone, unfortunately it had to be my mum," says Kelly's son Mike Faiers. Describing how their mum died, Kelly's daughter Jazz says: "Obviously to us, she's more than that, but she's just the name of another victim of his in theory." Following Kelly's death, the Ministry of Justice reviewed the case and says action has been taken as a result. It says it is increasing probation and community funding by £700m and making sure offenders who pose the greatest risk receive more face-to-face supervision. Avon and Somerset Police has apologised to Kelly's family, external for several of the decisions made during the investigation. At the inquest into Kelly's death, the coroner said it was difficult to see what more police and probation officers could have done to prevent Kelly's death, given they were not aware of her. The Parole Board told the BBC in a statement: "Whilst [serious further offences] represent a tiny proportion of cases considered, one case is one too many and we take these extremely seriously. "Where this happens, the Parole Board is committed to doing everything it can to learn the lessons that will help to prevent further tragedies." Although there is no evidence that Scatchard uploaded the videos of his assaults to the internet, the National Crime Agency has said there is a need to urgently respond to drug-facilitated sexual abuse. In July 2026, it identified an international network of men drugging and raping women, sometimes filming and posting the material online. The charity Women's Aid has also collected information on drugging or spiking, and said 592 survivors reported this type of abuse in 2025-2026. But some experts have told the BBC the lack of reliable statistics makes it more difficult to tackle. Hundreds of 'sleep' videos Some pornography sites host videos appearing to show drugged or unconscious women being sexually assaulted. In May 2026, one of them - which the BBC is not naming - was taken offline after an investigation by CNN. However, BBC West Investigations has found other sites hosting similar material. In June, one was found to have more than 900 videos tagged with the word "sleep". Emeritus Professor Marianne Hester from Bristol University, who researches gender-based violence, said the internet had made it easier for perpetrators. "I think it provides a lot more ideas about what to get up to," she says. She wants websites sharing videos of apparent drug rape to be shut down and is calling for police to recognise what she calls "chemical control" - a term she helped coin - as a distinct offence. "That's a really big, new area that we need to think about. It's about identification. If we don't start naming things, we don't look for them." Krystyna hopes that by sharing her story she might help others. "If you have feelings like I had and you doubt yourself - don't. Look after yourself otherwise it could be fatal," she added. - The Chemical Killer: Death by Dating is available now on BBC iPlayer Follow BBC West social channels in Bristol, external, Gloucestershire, external, Somerset, external and Wiltshire, external. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Related topics - Published21 October 2025 - Published10 April 2024 - Published7 July - Published16 January 2024 - Published5 September 2024
document fetched 2026-09-07 07:34 · canonical https://bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c74el40wpw9o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss