Killing of Ronnie Cook

Background

Linda Calvey (born Linda E P Welford in 1948) had an extensive criminal history in England prior to the killing at the centre of this case. She had been convicted of a number of armed robberies in the 1980s, receiving a seven-year sentence in 1986 for her role in a gang that carried out post office robberies in which staff and customers were sprayed with ammonia. She served roughly three years of that sentence, much of it at HM Prison Holloway.

Calvey's first husband, armed robber Mickey Calvey, was shot and killed by police during a botched robbery in December 1978. Following his death, she formed a relationship with Ronnie Cook, one of her late husband's associates, who provided her with financial support. According to Calvey, Cook became controlling over time, and after she declined his marriage proposal she said he threatened to harm her son. Cook was later sentenced to 16 years in prison for an armed robbery. During this period Calvey also began relationships with Daniel Reece, a criminal associate introduced to her by Cook's friend Brian Thorogood, and with Thorogood himself, while still involved with Cook.

The killing

In late 1990, around 18 months after her release on parole, Calvey paid Daniel Reece £10,000 to kill Cook. On the day of the killing, Calvey drove to HM Prison Maidstone to collect Cook, who was on day release near the end of his sentence, and brought him to her home. Reece was present but, according to his later account to police, lost his nerve and only shot Cook in the arm. Calvey then took the gun and shot Cook in the head at close range while he knelt before her; the shot also broke his neck. A neighbour reported hearing Calvey shout "kneel" immediately before a shot was heard. Cook was killed approximately half an hour after being collected from prison. Calvey's footprints were found near the body.

At trial, the prosecution argued Cook's death served to "simplify" Calvey's personal affairs, since Cook — due for full release — would otherwise have discovered her infidelity and her spending of money he had entrusted to her. Calvey denied murder, but the jury found her guilty. She was convicted and sentenced to eighteen and a half years in prison in November 1991, ultimately serving 18 years.

Aftermath

Calvey has repeatedly disputed her guilt, initially claiming an unidentified gunman killed Cook, and later claiming Reece alone carried out the shooting. Her appeal to the Criminal Cases Review Commission, made while represented by Giovanni Di Stefano, was rejected. She went on to marry Reece at HM Prison Durham in 1995, and later published a memoir about her life.