This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/oct/05/man-shot-dead-council-officer-released-prison-stroke-albert-dryden
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Man who shot council officer dead released from prison after stroke | Man who shot council officer dead released from prison after stroke |
| (4 months later) | |
| Albert Dryden, who killed Harry Collinson in front of TV crews in County Durham in 1991, to be moved to residential care home | |
| Frances Perraudin North of England reporter | |
| Thu 5 Oct 2017 12.16 BST | |
| Last modified on Mon 27 Nov 2017 15.55 GMT | |
| Share on Facebook | |
| Share on Twitter | |
| Share via Email | |
| View more sharing options | |
| Share on LinkedIn | |
| Share on Pinterest | |
| Share on Google+ | |
| Share on WhatsApp | |
| Share on Messenger | |
| Close | |
| A man who shot a council officer dead in front of TV camera crews has been released from jail after having a stroke. | A man who shot a council officer dead in front of TV camera crews has been released from jail after having a stroke. |
| Albert Dryden, 76, had been serving life in prison for the murder of Harry Collinson, principal planning officer with Derwentside council in County Durham, in June 1991. | Albert Dryden, 76, had been serving life in prison for the murder of Harry Collinson, principal planning officer with Derwentside council in County Durham, in June 1991. |
| Collinson, 46, had been overseeing an operation to demolish a bungalow that Dryden had built without planning permission on his country lane smallholding in the village of Butsfield. | Collinson, 46, had been overseeing an operation to demolish a bungalow that Dryden had built without planning permission on his country lane smallholding in the village of Butsfield. |
| Diggers were on standby to start the demolition and TV camera crews and news reporters were at the site to witness the negotiations when Dryden opened fire, killing Collinson. Footage showing the moment Dryden started firing his first world war gun was shown on Look North, the BBC’s local evening news bulletin. | Diggers were on standby to start the demolition and TV camera crews and news reporters were at the site to witness the negotiations when Dryden opened fire, killing Collinson. Footage showing the moment Dryden started firing his first world war gun was shown on Look North, the BBC’s local evening news bulletin. |
| The former steelworker was also convicted of the attempted murder of Michael Dunstan, a council solicitor, and of wounding PC Stephen Campbell and Look North reporter Tony Belmont with intent. | The former steelworker was also convicted of the attempted murder of Michael Dunstan, a council solicitor, and of wounding PC Stephen Campbell and Look North reporter Tony Belmont with intent. |
| After Collinson, a father of two, fell mortally wounded into a ditch, Dryden fired two more shots into his heart and brain. | After Collinson, a father of two, fell mortally wounded into a ditch, Dryden fired two more shots into his heart and brain. |
| During the trial at Newcastle crown court in April 1992, Dryden claimed he was mentally ill and not responsible for his actions. He has previously had four parole applications rejected. | During the trial at Newcastle crown court in April 1992, Dryden claimed he was mentally ill and not responsible for his actions. He has previously had four parole applications rejected. |
| Alex Watson, a Durham county councillor and district council leader at the time, said Dryden had been released after 26 years because of his ill health and that he would be looked after in a residential care home. | Alex Watson, a Durham county councillor and district council leader at the time, said Dryden had been released after 26 years because of his ill health and that he would be looked after in a residential care home. |
| “He’s been released as he has had a severe stroke and it’s left him unable to talk,” he said. “He’s not in a good condition but he’s recovered enough to be released and placed in a residential home where there will be a measure of security. | “He’s been released as he has had a severe stroke and it’s left him unable to talk,” he said. “He’s not in a good condition but he’s recovered enough to be released and placed in a residential home where there will be a measure of security. |
| “It was a tragic situation, no doubt about it. He said he was defending his home but the murder can never be excused. It was cold-blooded murder.” | “It was a tragic situation, no doubt about it. He said he was defending his home but the murder can never be excused. It was cold-blooded murder.” |
| Watson added: “He was well-known for having guns and ammunition but he was not taken seriously enough at the time. It was unbelievable, no one would have believed you if you had said this could happen before it did. It’s a regret of mine that I was not there because if I had been I could have tried to stop him.” | Watson added: “He was well-known for having guns and ammunition but he was not taken seriously enough at the time. It was unbelievable, no one would have believed you if you had said this could happen before it did. It’s a regret of mine that I was not there because if I had been I could have tried to stop him.” |
| Speaking to the Northern Echo, Collinson’s older brother, Roy, said: “Personally, I couldn’t bloody care less what happens to Albert Dryden. If he dies slowly, that’s good. I’ll be very happy about that. | Speaking to the Northern Echo, Collinson’s older brother, Roy, said: “Personally, I couldn’t bloody care less what happens to Albert Dryden. If he dies slowly, that’s good. I’ll be very happy about that. |
| “He never showed one bit of remorse in all the 26 years he has been in prison. He still tried to justify his actions for some God-unknown reason. | “He never showed one bit of remorse in all the 26 years he has been in prison. He still tried to justify his actions for some God-unknown reason. |
| “If the police had done their job properly, my brother wouldn’t have been killed and Albert Dryden wouldn’t have spent all this time in prison.” | “If the police had done their job properly, my brother wouldn’t have been killed and Albert Dryden wouldn’t have spent all this time in prison.” |
| Crime | |
| Local government | |
| news | |
| Share on Facebook | |
| Share on Twitter | |
| Share via Email | |
| Share on LinkedIn | |
| Share on Pinterest | |
| Share on Google+ | |
| Share on WhatsApp | |
| Share on Messenger | |
| Reuse this content |