How Did Dennis Nilsen Die? | TV & Radio - Daily Express

Des: David Tennant stars in new ITV murder drama

David Tennant portrays Scottish serial killer and necrophile Dennis Nilsen in Des on ITV. The three-part series will tell the story of Nilsen through the eyes of the killer, Detective Chief Inspector Peter Jay (played by Daniel Mays) in charge of the case, and Nilsen’s biographer Brian Masters (Jason Watkins). The series will also follow the police investigation and media attention the case received. Expres.sco.uk has everything you need to know.

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How did Dennis Nilsen die?

Dennis Nilsen was born in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire on November 23, 1945, and died on May 12, 2018, at HMP Full Sutton, East Yorkshire.

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Nilsen was known as the Muswell Hill Murderer after he committed a series of killings at two North London addresses in the Muswell Hill area in North London.

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In February 1983, Nilsen was arrested by police but the discovery of his crimes was not the result of any sort of police investigation or tip-off.

On February 4, 1983, Nilsen alongside other tenants, complained to the estate agents of Cranley Gardens, of drain and sewer blockage.

READ MORE Dennis Nilsen: Where is Detective Chief Inspector Peter Jay now?

Dennis Nilsen dead: David Tennant portrays Dennis Nilsen in DES (Image: ITV)

Dennis Nilsen dead: Dennis Nilsen died on May 12, 2018 (Image: GETTY )

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Responding to the complaints, Michael Cattran, a plumber working for Dyno-Rod, an emergency plumbing and drainage company, discovered small bones and a flesh-like substance coming from one the drains.

The following day, he found the same substance inside a pipe leading from the drain belonging to Nilsen.

On February 10, Nilsen confessed there were other human remains in his flat and even named some of his victims and on February 11, 1983, he was formally charged with the murder of 20-year-old Stephen Sinclar, his final victim,

Nilsen’s trial began on October 24, 1983, at the Old Bailey in London

Dennis Nilsen dead: Dennis Nilsen was known as the Muswell Hill murderer (Image: GETTY)

He was sentenced to life in prison, with a recommendation he served a minimum of 25 years in prison after he was found guilty of six-count so murder rand two of attempted murder.

However, he is believed to have killed 12 men during his killing spree between 1978 and 1983.

In 1994, his sentence was upgraded to a whole life tariff by Home Secretary Michael Howard and he was never released from prison.

The prolific killer died on May 12, 2018, at HMP Full Sutton in East Yorkshire. He was 72-years-old at the time of his death.

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Dennis Nilsen dead:Dennis Nilsen died of pulmonary embolism and retroperitoneal haemorrhage, linked to a ruptured aneurysm. (Image: ITV)

At his inquest in late 2019, it was reported he died in his prison cell in “excruciating pain” with internal bleeding.

Two days before his death, on May 10, he was taken to hospital with severe abdominal pains and underwent an operation to remove a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm.

He subsequently suffered a blood clot as a result of the surgery.

A BBC report at the time of the inquest at Hull Coroner’s Court reported Nilen spent his final hours lying in his own faeces.

A report from the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman stated Nilsen was left "deteriorating for two and a half hours" after he rejected the opportunity to be seen for longer in the healthcare wing.

His medical cause of death was described as a pulmonary embolism and retroperitoneal haemorrhage, linked to the ruptured aneurysm.

Hull coroner Prof Paul Marks ruled Nilsen died of natural causes.

 

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Speaking to the Radio Times, Tennant said he was "relieved" Nilsen was no longer alive today to see the drama air.

He said: “After he was arrested, Dennis Nilsen became obsessed with [what] was the legend of ‘Des’ – the reputation that he left behind.

“Whenever he slipped out public consciousness, there was almost a sense that he wanted to get back into it. That’s why I’m relieved he’s not alive.

“I would hate for this to go out and for him to be sitting in some cell somewhere imaging we were in any way glorifying him.

“I’m sure he would have complained about [what] we said and everything we did.

“At the same time, he would have been rather smugly pleased he was on television. I think it’s right and proper it’s transmitting after he’s gone.”

Des is streaming on the ITV Hub now 

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