Every mum’s nightmare about the baby-sitter came true when John Hutchinson, 29, volunteered to look after Albert Matthews, the five-year-old son of his landlady, while she went shopping. According to Hutchinson, little Albert struck him with a poker. In retaliation, Hutchinson fetched a sharp knife from the kitchen, cut the boy’s throat, then cut off his head. After mutilating the body, he put the parts under the sofa.

After that he went outside to fetch a policeman, to whom he announced, “I’ve just committed a murder.” At Nottingham Assizes on Tuesday, JANUARY 31st, 1905, it was said in Hutchinson’s defence that he was an epileptic. But the local asylum doctor maintained that there was no evidence of any form of insanity, and accordingly Hutchinson was sentenced to death. He was hanged at Nottingham on March 29th.