Killer names 'hunting' partner

A convicted serial rapist and murderer has described how he and an accomplice would hunt for victims dressed in balaclavas and carrying knives.

John Duffy, who was jailed for a minimum of 30 years in 1988, was giving evidence at the Old Bailey trial of his childhood friend David Mulcahy.

Mr Mulcahy, 41, a builder, of Chalk Farm, north London, has denied raping and murdering three women, seven further rapes and five charges of conspiracy to rape.

The prosecution claims Duffy and Mr Mulcahy were soulmates who formed a "unique but wicked bond" to hunt down and rape 15 women, killing three of them, between 1982 and 1986.

Alison Day was murdered

Duffy, 41, was told he would never be released for murdering Alison Day, 19, and Maartje Tamboezer, 15 and a series of rapes.

While in jail he confessed to further attacks on women and named Mulcahy as his partner in some of them.

Duffy was taken to court on Friday to make his allegations on oath before the jury trying Mr Mulcahy.

He admitted committing 25 offences between 1975 and 1986 which included 22 attacks on 23 women.

Most of the women, aged between 15 and 32 years, were targeted at railway stations in and around London, others were attacked on Hampstead Heath in north London.

For more details of the murders click here.

Asked whether he had carried out the attacks and murders alone, Duffy said Mr Mulcahy had joined him on some occasions.

He said they had raped two girls together on Hampstead Heath on 17 July 1984.

"There was a quick discussion between us and we decided to separate the girls to give us a bit of privacy," he said.

"We were very excited we had two victims. We thought it was great really."

Duffy said the two men laughed about the rapes afterwards while listening to Michael Jackson tapes.

"They were actually terrified the two girls - we did not think we would be reported," he said.

'Hunting'

Duffy said the two men had been school friends and used to go out shooting at people with air rifles.

Their friendship continued after they both got married and used to go out together at weekends.

"We would plan it quite meticulously," said Duffy.

"We would have balaclavas and knives. We used to call it hunting. We did it as a bit of a joke. A bit of a game."

Duffy's evidence was interrupted by Mr Mulcahy's voice from the dock challenging him: "Why don't you just tell the truth".

Duffy went on to give details of a number of the attacks.

The trial is expected to last four months.