Lawrence Bierton: Man freed from prison for murder of two elderly Rotherham sisters killed third OAP

Lawrence Bierton, aged 61, of Rayton Spur, Kilton, appeared via video link at Nottingham Crown Court last week and admitted to killing his neighbour Pauline Quinn on November 9, last year.

He also pleaded guilty to stealing her car keys.

The court heard that Bierton had previously been jailed for life in 1996 for the murders of sisters Aileen Dudill, 79 and Elsie Gregory, 72.

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The pair were killed in a burglary gone wrong at their home in Herringthorpe Valley Road, in Rotherham in 1995.

Bierton, and co-defendant Michael Pluck, were odd job men and put the sisters’ bodies under a pile of burning furniture in their living room in the hope of burning down the house to cover their tracks.

Nottingham Crown Court heard that Bierton was released from prison in 2020 and moved into a property close to Mrs Quinn, who was 73 when she was killed.

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Judge Gregory Dickinson QC asked a probation officer on the link: “Am I correct to assume he was living at the address either with direction or permission of those responsible for supervising his life licence?”

The probation officer said she understood probation officers were aware of his address.

The judge told Bierton that it was likely that he will spend the rest of his life in prison.

He said: “Lawrence Bierton you have pleaded guilty to the murder of Pauline Quinn.

“The sentence for murder is imprisonment for life.

“In every case of murder the court is required by an Act of Parliament to decide the minimum time that must be served before an application can be made to the Parole Board for release on licence.

“You have a previous conviction for murder, indeed double murder, so under the same Act the starting point is what is called a whole life order, which means that if that is the sentence imposed then you will remain in prison for the rest of your life.”

Mrs Quinn was found unconscious by paramedics on the evening of November 9 last year following concerns that she could not be contacted.

In a statement after her death, Mrs Quinn's family said: “The whole family is totally in shock. Pauline was so full of joy and we just can't believe what has happened.”

Nottinghamshire Police have described him as an 'extremely violent and dangerous individual'.

Detective Inspector Steve Wragg, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Pauline’s tragic death devastated her family and shocked her friends and neighbours in their community.

“Our thoughts and deepest condolences remain with them and I hope today’s guilty pleas bring some degree of closure for them.

“I am pleased Bierton decided to plead guilty which has spared Pauline’s family having to go through the emotional ordeal of a trial.

“Bierton committed this brutal crime in his own neighbourhood, in the middle of the day.

“He is an extremely violent and dangerous individual who is now facing a life sentence for this appalling attack.”

Bierton, who will be sentenced on June 10, is in custody ahead of the hearing.