214:
209:
A recluse and (according to media reports) a millionaire, the elderly
Chappelow was found murdered in his house after a sum of money was discovered to have gone missing from his bank account. In October 2006, a British citizen of Chinese birth, Wang Yam, a financial trader also resident in Hampstead,
307:
One of the theories put forward, and confirmed by "sources close to the investigation", is that Wang was a "low-level informant" for the security services and planned to rely on this as part of his defence at trial. Other theories suggest that the evidence presented by the Crown risked revealing the
276:
on 13 December 2007 that the grounds were 'on the basis of protecting national security interests and to protect the identity of informants'. On 14 January 2008, the trial judge granted this unprecedented 'gagging order' and the trial was scheduled to start on 28 January. A further order was made
296:
insisting that a fair trial would be possible even if some or all of it was held 'in camera'. However, there was coverage of the actual criminal trial which opened on Monday, 4 February as scheduled. The coverage included details of both the victim and of the defendant in the media and there was
356:
after one of
Chappelow's neighbours came forward with claims that he had been threatened by a man with a knife in the area after Yam's arrest, an encounter he had reported to the police who had not in turn informed Yam's defence team. However, the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction in 2017.
297:
little or no discussion of the fact that the proceedings would at least in part be held in camera. There was no evidence that the delay in publishing the judgement was deliberate or the result of another gagging order which the media had been instructed not to report.
599:
339:
judge overseeing the case spent early
January 2009 summarising the case, before sending out the jury to deliberate on 9 January. Yam was convicted of murder on 16 January 2009; he was sentenced to life imprisonment, serving a minimum of 20 years.
311:
Wang had declared bankruptcy in
September 2004, and was believed to be having financial difficulties; he had been due to be evicted from his house for rent arrears in June 2006. Wang was a student leader in the
603:
186:(London, George Harrap, 1955) – he was a member of the first party of 'ordinary tourists' to be allowed to visit the USSR after the Second World War. His principal works on Shaw are
107:
and specialised in portraits of writers and musicians. He was found dead at his house in 2006 and a
Chinese national, Wang Yam, was convicted of his murder at a retrial in 2009.
895:
704:
300:
On 28 March, the jury retired to consider its verdict. On 31 March, Yam was found guilty of stealing £20,000 by deception, and on 1 April also found guilty of
360:
In 2023 the CCRC confirmed that they would review Yam's case a second time in response to new developments in DNA testing which had led to the exoneration of
127:), whom his father had met while working as a lecturer Copenhagen University. Chappelow moved with his family to Hampstead at the age of 14, to the house, 9
178:
As a photographer, Chappelow specialised in portraits of leading literary and theatrical figures and musicians. In 1950 he visited George
Bernard Shaw at
920:
830:
784:
462:
328:
footage of Yam using
Chappelow's bank card, and evidence of Yam paying a restaurant bill. The entirety of the defence case in the retrial was held
660:
860:
439:
835:
685:
825:
324:
A retrial of Wang Yam was set for 13 October 2008. The prosecution presented eight weeks of evidence in public. This evidence included
925:
900:
880:
865:
845:
758:
550:
500:
293:
890:
840:
855:
529:
353:
701:
910:
313:
203:
281:
Act 1981 prohibiting the press from any speculation as to the reasons for parts of the trial being held in private.
915:
163:
between 1946 and 1949, taking an M.A. and twice being a prizeman. In the 1950s he worked as a photographer for the
256:'. This would make it the first UK murder trial ever heard behind closed doors without access by press or public.
875:
349:
396:
Contemporary
Authors: A Bio-Bibliographical Guide, Frances C. Locher and Jan Evory, Gale Publishing, 1975, pg 98
905:
870:
850:
131:, in which he lived for the rest of his life except for his school and student years. He was educated at
470:
160:
885:
249:
116:
722:
260:
600:"MI5 wants millionaire's murder trial to be held in secret amid claims defendant worked for them"
373:
304:. The jury was discharged after failing to reach verdicts on the charges of burglary and murder.
625:
431:
144:
643:
228:
listed house was sold for £4.1m, and the new owners submitted plans for it to be refurbished.
301:
820:
815:
573:
525:
8:
171:
104:
85:
750:
542:
492:
252:
indicated it would ask for Wang's trial for murder, burglary and deception to be held '
278:
232:
218:
199:
179:
99:(20 August 1919 – May/June 2006) was an English writer and photographer who lived in
417:
Murder Houses of
Greater London, Jan Bondeson, Troubador Publishing (Matador), 2015
361:
140:
182:
and took the last known photographs of the playwright. Chappelow's books included
708:
285:
191:
115:
Chappelow was the son of wealthy decorator, upholsterer, and fine art consultant
785:"Miscarriage of justice watchdog reviews murder conviction of ex-MI6 informant"
264:
156:
148:
128:
809:
132:
630:
267:
136:
372:
In
January 2018 a book on Chappelow and the murder trial was published:
213:
120:
336:
165:
124:
41:
727:
329:
289:
272:
253:
152:
100:
64:
225:
723:"Dissident Wang Yam convicted of murdering author Allan Chappelow"
408:
Blood on the Page, Thomas Harding, William Heinemann, London, 2018
151:, had famously been in the First World War), working on a farm in
574:"Jury discharged in trial of man for murder of reclusive writer"
783:
Campbell, Duncan; Norton-Taylor, Richard (14 December 2023).
188:
Shaw the Villager and Human Being – a Biographical symposium
175:. Afterwards he became a freelance photographer and writer.
325:
96:
231:
Chappelow was buried with his parents on the east side of
754:
210:
was arrested in Switzerland and charged with the murder.
644:"In brief: Gang's kidnap plot; Allan Chappelow's murder"
782:
308:methods and capabilities of the security services.
432:"Millionaire writer 'murdered by identity thief'"
807:
896:Photographers from the London Borough of Camden
425:
423:
238:
404:
402:
316:, and had fled China for Hong Kong in 1992.
778:
776:
463:"Secrecy ordered for parts of murder trial"
420:
653:
626:Murder accused 'had fled China witch-hunt'
921:Writers from the London Borough of Camden
399:
831:20th-century English non-fiction writers
773:
571:
212:
861:Danish emigrants to the United Kingdom
808:
720:
429:
836:Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge
761:from the original on 31 January 2009
503:from the original on 31 January 2008
460:
442:from the original on 4 February 2008
380:, William Heinemann (London, 2018).
263:(PII) certificate was sought by the
751:"Author's murderer jailed for life"
13:
602:. 14 December 2007. Archived from
543:"Author murder verdict considered"
103:, north London. He wrote books on
14:
937:
826:2006 crimes in the United Kingdom
624:Booth, Robert (6 February 2008).
572:Siddique, Haroon (1 April 2008).
553:from the original on 2 April 2008
493:"Bid for open murder trial fails"
461:Gibb, Frances (16 January 2008).
430:Booth, Robert (2 February 2008).
314:Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
926:English male non-fiction writers
901:People educated at Oundle School
881:English people of Danish descent
866:Danish people of English descent
721:Brown, David (16 January 2009).
686:Chappelow jury set to deliberate
846:British conscientious objectors
743:
714:
702:Report on the conviction of Yam
695:
679:
637:
618:
592:
350:Criminal Case Review Commission
119:, and Karen Ragnhild Permin of
16:English writer and photographer
565:
535:
515:
485:
454:
411:
390:
343:
243:
1:
891:Photographers from Copenhagen
383:
841:Burials at Highgate Cemetery
661:"Chappelow 'secret session'"
526:[2008] EWCA Crim 269
239:Legal and 'security' issues
217:Grave of Allan Chappelow in
7:
856:English non-fiction writers
352:referred Yam's case to the
10:
942:
319:
161:Trinity College, Cambridge
911:People murdered in London
250:Crown Prosecution Service
190:, with a preface by Dame
117:Archibald Cecil Chappelow
80:
72:
49:
30:
23:
528: (28 January 2008),
469:. London. Archived from
261:Public Interest Immunity
196:Shaw – the 'Chucker-Out'
916:Writers from Copenhagen
707:19 January 2009 at the
367:
292:' was upheld, with the
110:
876:English murder victims
248:In December 2007, the
221:
155:. He went on to study
145:conscientious objector
94:Allan Gordon Chappelow
35:Allan Gordon Chappelow
906:People from Hampstead
364:earlier in the year.
302:handling stolen goods
270:; it was reported by
216:
871:English criminal law
851:British male writers
288:on 28 January, the '
757:. 29 January 2009.
606:on 16 December 2007
532:(England and Wales)
499:. 28 January 2008.
172:The Daily Telegraph
105:George Bernard Shaw
86:George Bernard Shaw
73:Cause of death
711:. 16 January 2009.
667:. 11 December 2008
294:Lord Chief Justice
222:
123:(located north of
692:, 8 January 2009.
549:. 28 March 2008.
378:Blood On The Page
279:Contempt of Court
233:Highgate Cemetery
219:Highgate Cemetery
180:Ayot St. Lawrence
91:
90:
933:
886:Murder in London
800:
799:
797:
795:
780:
771:
770:
768:
766:
747:
741:
740:
738:
736:
718:
712:
699:
693:
683:
677:
676:
674:
672:
657:
651:
641:
635:
622:
616:
615:
613:
611:
596:
590:
589:
587:
585:
569:
563:
562:
560:
558:
539:
533:
519:
513:
512:
510:
508:
489:
483:
482:
480:
478:
458:
452:
451:
449:
447:
427:
418:
415:
409:
406:
397:
394:
362:Andrew Malkinson
141:Second World War
60:
56:
21:
20:
941:
940:
936:
935:
934:
932:
931:
930:
806:
805:
804:
803:
793:
791:
781:
774:
764:
762:
749:
748:
744:
734:
732:
719:
715:
709:Wayback Machine
700:
696:
684:
680:
670:
668:
659:
658:
654:
642:
638:
623:
619:
609:
607:
598:
597:
593:
583:
581:
570:
566:
556:
554:
541:
540:
536:
530:Court of Appeal
520:
516:
506:
504:
491:
490:
486:
476:
474:
473:on 12 June 2011
459:
455:
445:
443:
428:
421:
416:
412:
407:
400:
395:
391:
386:
370:
354:Court of Appeal
346:
322:
286:Court of Appeal
246:
241:
192:Sybil Thorndike
184:Russian Holiday
147:(as his uncle,
113:
68:
62:
58:
54:
45:
39:
37:
36:
26:
25:Allan Chappelow
17:
12:
11:
5:
939:
929:
928:
923:
918:
913:
908:
903:
898:
893:
888:
883:
878:
873:
868:
863:
858:
853:
848:
843:
838:
833:
828:
823:
818:
802:
801:
772:
742:
713:
694:
678:
652:
636:
617:
591:
564:
534:
514:
484:
453:
419:
410:
398:
388:
387:
385:
382:
374:Thomas Harding
369:
366:
345:
342:
321:
318:
265:Home Secretary
245:
242:
240:
237:
157:moral sciences
149:Eric Chappelow
129:Downshire Hill
112:
109:
89:
88:
82:
81:Known for
78:
77:
74:
70:
69:
63:
61:2006 (aged 87)
51:
47:
46:
40:
38:20 August 1919
34:
32:
28:
27:
24:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
938:
927:
924:
922:
919:
917:
914:
912:
909:
907:
904:
902:
899:
897:
894:
892:
889:
887:
884:
882:
879:
877:
874:
872:
869:
867:
864:
862:
859:
857:
854:
852:
849:
847:
844:
842:
839:
837:
834:
832:
829:
827:
824:
822:
819:
817:
814:
813:
811:
790:
786:
779:
777:
760:
756:
752:
746:
730:
729:
724:
717:
710:
706:
703:
698:
691:
687:
682:
666:
662:
656:
650:, 3 May 2008.
649:
645:
640:
633:
632:
627:
621:
605:
601:
595:
579:
575:
568:
552:
548:
544:
538:
531:
527:
523:
518:
502:
498:
494:
488:
472:
468:
464:
457:
441:
437:
433:
426:
424:
414:
405:
403:
393:
389:
381:
379:
375:
365:
363:
358:
355:
351:
348:In 2014, the
341:
338:
333:
331:
327:
317:
315:
309:
305:
303:
298:
295:
291:
290:gagging order
287:
282:
280:
275:
274:
269:
266:
262:
257:
255:
251:
236:
234:
229:
227:
220:
215:
211:
207:
205:
204:0-404-08359-5
201:
197:
193:
189:
185:
181:
176:
174:
173:
168:
167:
162:
158:
154:
150:
146:
142:
138:
134:
133:Oundle School
130:
126:
122:
118:
108:
106:
102:
98:
95:
87:
83:
79:
75:
71:
66:
52:
48:
43:
33:
29:
22:
19:
792:. Retrieved
789:The Guardian
788:
763:. Retrieved
745:
733:. Retrieved
726:
716:
697:
689:
681:
669:. Retrieved
664:
655:
647:
639:
631:The Guardian
629:
620:
608:. Retrieved
604:the original
594:
582:. Retrieved
578:The Guardian
577:
567:
555:. Retrieved
546:
537:
521:
517:
505:. Retrieved
496:
487:
475:. Retrieved
471:the original
466:
456:
444:. Retrieved
436:The Guardian
435:
413:
392:
377:
371:
359:
347:
334:
323:
310:
306:
299:
283:
271:
268:Jacqui Smith
258:
247:
230:
224:Chappelow's
223:
208:
195:
194:(1962), and
187:
183:
177:
170:
164:
137:Peterborough
114:
93:
92:
18:
821:2006 deaths
816:1919 births
794:14 December
690:Camden News
671:18 December
665:Camden News
344:Case review
244:First trial
810:Categories
765:29 January
735:16 January
610:5 February
507:29 January
477:29 January
446:5 February
438:. London.
384:References
337:Old Bailey
277:under the
166:Daily Mail
125:Copenhagen
42:Copenhagen
728:The Times
648:The Times
634:(London).
467:The Times
330:in camera
273:The Times
254:in camera
153:Hampshire
143:he was a
139:. In the
101:Hampstead
84:Works on
65:Hampstead
44:, Denmark
759:Archived
731:. London
705:Archived
580:. London
557:29 March
551:Archived
547:BBC News
522:R. v Yam
501:Archived
497:BBC News
440:Archived
226:Grade II
121:Hillerød
76:Murdered
67:, London
53:Between
584:2 April
320:Retrial
284:In the
198:(1969,
59:14 June
202:
524:
135:near
55:8 May
796:2023
767:2009
737:2009
673:2008
612:2008
586:2008
559:2008
509:2008
479:2008
448:2008
368:Book
335:The
326:CCTV
200:ISBN
169:and
111:Life
97:FRSA
57:and
50:Died
31:Born
755:BBC
376:'s
206:).
159:at
812::
787:.
775:^
753:.
725:.
688:,
663:.
646:,
628:.
576:.
545:.
495:.
465:.
434:.
422:^
401:^
332:.
259:A
235:.
798:.
769:.
739:.
675:.
614:.
588:.
561:.
511:.
481:.
450:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
