Dennis Nilsen was born on 23rd November 1945, 37 years later in on 8th February 1983 he was arrested for multiple murder.

On 7th February 1983 Dyno-rod was called to the flats at 23 Cranley Gardens, Muswell Hill, North London. The problem was that the residents were complaining that their toilets would not flush properly. When the engineer entered the manhole next to the building he found whitish sludge flecked with red, and lumps of rotting meat - some with hair attached.

The police were informed and when they arrived the following day (8th) to search the drain they discovered bone fragments as well as flesh - of human origin.

On that day the occupant of the attic flat, Dennis Nilsen, was at work at the Job Centre in Soho. When he returned home that evening he was met by detectives. When told about the human remains found, he replied 'Good grief, how awful.'

Going on instinct the detective asked wheres the rest of the body?, Nilsens response was 'In two plastic bags in the wardrobe, Ill show you.'

When he was asked how many bodies, one or two, he stated 15 or 16 since 1978 - 3 at Cranley Gardens and about 13 at my previous address, Melrose Avenue, Cricklewood - buried in the back garden.

When the detectives searched his flat, they found plastic bin liners in the wardrobe containing 3 severed heads. Nilsen had placed air fresheners in the wardrobe to mask the smell. There was also a tea chest containing other portions of bodies.

Nilsen was arrested and spent hours giving a detailed confession of all the murders that he had committed.

All his victims had been young men who he picked up from the streets or pubs that were known to have a high volume of homosexuals. Many had been homeless and willing to do sexual favours for food, drink and money.

In October 1983 Dennis Nilsen stood trial at Central Criminal Court. He was found guilty of 6 murders and 2 attempted murders by a 10-2 majority, even though he confessed to 15 murders and 7 attempted murders. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommendation from the Judge that he serve no fewer than 25 years. He started his sentence in Wormwood Scrubs and was then transferred to Wakefield Prison in Yorkshire in 1984.

1. Unknown Irishman. He was strangled then kept under the floorboards for 8 months (December 1978 - August 1979) after which he burned the corpse on a bonfire at the bottom of his garden.

2. 23 year old Canadian - Kenneth James Ockenden. He was strangled and disected and placed under the floorboards in December 1979.

3. 16 years old - Martyn Duffey. Nilsen cannot remember how he killed him but after death, he too was placed under the floorboards next to Kenneth Ockenden in May 1980.

4. 26 year old Scot - Billy Sutherland. He was strangled and again placed under the floorboards between July and September 1980.

5. Unknown Mexican or Filipino. Again placed under the floorboards 1980

6. Unknown Irishman. Strangled and placed under the floorboards. 1980

7. Unknown homeless man. Nilsen strangled him but he was so thin that Nilsen didnt want to look at him so he wrapped him in plastic and burned him on a bonfire in one piece.

8. Unknown man. Nilsen does not remember much about the killing of this victim. He knows he kept him under the floorboards until he removed the corpse and cut it into 3 pieces then put it back again. He burned the corpse one year later.

9. 18 year old Scotsman with short fair hair. Nilsen strangled him.

10. Unknown 'Billy Sutherland type'. He was strangled and placed under the floorboards.

11. Unknown skinhead with London accent. He was strangled. This victim had many tattoos including a ring of dots around his neck with the inscription 'cut here'. Nilsen obliged when dismembering his body.

In 1981 Nilsen has another, larger, burning session in his garden.

12. Malcolm Barlow. He was strangled. He was the last victim of Melrose Avenue. Nilsen was paid £1000 to vacated the flat, so he had one final large bonfire to cover his tracks.

In October 1981, Nilsen moved into his new flat in Cranley Gardens.

13. John Howlett. Out of all the victims this one struggled the most forcing Nilsen to bang his head on the head board whilst he strangled him. Nilsen went to pacify his dog and when he returned Howlett was breathing again so Nilsen then drowned him in the bath. He then placed the body in a cupboard and went to work. When Nilsen came home he hacked up the body in the bath and boiled chunks in a large pot.

14. Graham Allen. Nilsen cannot remember killing him but when he found him dead he removed his clothes and washed him in the bath and left him in there for 2 days then disected him. He boiled parts of his body, placing some of the bits in the tea chest and others in a plastic sack. Other pieces he flushed down the toilet.

15. Stephen Sinclair. Once Nilsen killed him he left his body in the bedroom for a few days covered with a blanket then cut off his head and boiled it in the pot and dismembered the body. This was on the 1st February 1983, 7 days before he was arrested.