Patrick Mackay

David Groves, better known by his birth name Patrick David Mackay (born 25 September 1952), is believed to be one of the United Kingdom's most prolific serial killers. He was convicted of three counts of manslaughter and two additional cases that were left to lie on file. Detectives stated that Mackay confessed in remand to the murders of six more people across London, Essex and Kent between 1973 and 1975. All of these alleged victims were found to match existing unsolved murders. Diagnosed as a psychopath at the age of 15, Mackay has been repeatedly denied parole since 1995 on the basis that he is considered too dangerous for release, although since 2017 he has been incarcerated in open prison conditions with day release provisions. In 2020, authorities launched fresh inquiries into Mackay's suspected murders, but they were unable to find sufficient evidence. Former Dartford MP Gareth Johnson has repeatedly voiced his concerns over his potential release. In July 2022, it was revealed that Mackay's case had been once again referred to the Parole Board.