Defendant’s dock anger as notes are read to jury

A SEX offender accused of the Babes in the Woods murders complained in court as sexually explicit prison letters he wrote to a child were read out.

Russell Bishop, 52, sent notes to a 13-year-old girl in 1987 while in HMP Brixton awaiting trial for the murders of nine-year-old friends Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway.

As the prosecution started to read the letters to the Old Bailey jury, Bishop stood up in the dock and said: “It’s not agreed evidence. Stop it right now. I’m not having this s*** or I’m having a retrial.”

Bishop was acquitted of the murders in 1987 before the Court of Appeal ordered a retrial following advances in DNA testing.

He says police have spent three decades probing the wrong man.

The trial was halted before Brian Altman QC continued to read the letters to the jury. They were signed while warning her: “Don’t give the letter to no one, not to your mum... if you love me, you won’t, if you don’t love me, you will.”

Bishop went on to suggest to the schoolgirl she will “have to go on the pill”.

In a later extract, he wrote: “All I have to do is get out of here so it can happen and we can stop putting it on paper.” Nicola and Karen went missing while playing in Moulsecoomb, Brighton, East Sussex, on October 9, 1986. Their bodies were found dumped in Wild Park the following day. Bishop, who denies murder, was convicted in 1990 of the sexual assault, abduction and attempted murder of a seven-year-old girl. The trial continues. KILLED Friends Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway

off with “love” and kisses and asked if the youngster was a “v”.

In the first letter, Bishop greeted her: “How are you my love?”

He continued: “I cannot do no dirty rhymes as this letter will go to the police before you get it.”

And he signed off: “Lots of love and kisses, love from Russell xxxx”.

Bishop said they would spend time in a

B&B upon his release,

TRIAL Russell Bishop