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Murder of Anna McGurk

SOLVED1991Gloucester, UK3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

On 28 August 1991, 23-year-old Anna McGurk was raped and murdered in Gloucester, England. The man convicted of the crime, Andrew Hagans, was at the time on bail after being arrested for the rape of a 20-year-old woman less than a month earlier. Hagans had a long history of violent offending and had previously served a prison sentence for burglary.

Hagans was subsequently convicted of Anna McGurk's murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. He received a concurrent 10-year sentence for the earlier rape offense for which he had been on bail at the time he killed McGurk.

The circumstances of the case — that a man already charged with a violent sexual offense had been released on bail and went on to rape and kill another woman — became the focus of a public campaign led by Kay Potts, Anna McGurk's mother. Her campaigning contributed to a change in English law. Michael Stephen, then MP for Shoreham, introduced the Bail (Amendment) Bill, which was passed as the Bail (Amendment) Act 1993. This legislation allowed the police and the Crown Prosecution Service to challenge decisions by magistrates to grant bail to alleged offenders, a power that had not previously existed in this form.

In memory of Anna McGurk, the Anna McGurk Trust was established. The trust awards bursaries to pupils of St Peter's High School in Gloucester, the school Anna McGurk had attended. A small memorial stone dedicated to her also stands in Gloucester.

Key facts

Victims
Anna McGurk
Date
1991
Location
Gloucester, UK
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 1991-08-28

    Anna McGurk, 23, is raped and murdered in Gloucester, UK, by Andrew Hagans.

  2. 1993

    The Bail (Amendment) Act 1993 is passed, allowing police and the Crown Prosecution Service to challenge magistrates' decisions to grant bail, following a campaign by Anna McGurk's mother, Kay Potts.

Best coverage

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People

  • Andrew Hagans

    CONVICTED

    Convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of Anna McGurk, with a concurrent 10-year sentence for a prior rape committed less than a month before, for which he was on bail at the time of the murder.

  • Anna McGurk

    VICTIM

    23-year-old woman raped and murdered in Gloucester, UK, on 28 August 1991.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Gloucester, UK

51.8642, -2.2380

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
Anna McGurk, 23, was raped and murdered in Gloucester, UK, on 28 August 1991 by Andrew Hagans, who was on bail for an earlier rape at the time. The case, driven by her mother's campaign, led to the Bail (Amendment) Act 1993.
Where did the murder happen?
Gloucester, UK.
Who was convicted?
Andrew Hagans (Convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of Anna McGurk, with a concurrent 10-year sentence for a prior rape committed less than a month before, for which he was on bail at the time of the murder.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved. Last verified July 2026.
More cases in United Kingdom

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICMurder of Anna McGurkWikipedia · 2026-07-05
  2. PRESSHow Mrs Potts won some justice when a bailed rapist murdered a young woman: her mother turned anger into determination to change the lawThe Independent · 2026-07-05
  3. PRESSContemporaneous coverage of the Anna McGurk caseBBC News · 2026-07-05

Record history

First published
JUL 06, 2026
Last verified against sources
JUL 06, 2026