Triple cop killer Harry Roberts dies aged 89, 11 years after being freed from life sentence
Roberts shot dead three unarmed officers who approached him and his accomplices who were planning a robbery
Triple police killer Harry Roberts has died aged 89.
Listen to this article
The convicted murderer died in hospital of natural causes following a short illness, it has been revealed.
Roberts' death comes 11 years after he was freed from prison where he served a life sentence for shooting dead three unarmed police officers in Shepherd's Bush in west London in 1966.
After his release from HMP Littlehey, Roberts lived in sheltered accommodation in Peterborough up until his death on Saturday.
A former associate told The Sun: "He went into hospital recently and died suddenly last Saturday from natural causes."
Detective Sergeant Christopher Head, 30, Detective Constable David Wombwell, 25, and PC Geoffrey Fox, 41, were all killed in the attack on 12 August, 1966.
Roberts and two accomplices, John Duddy and John Witney, were in a Standard Vanguard looking for a car to steal to use in a robbery.
The officers were in an unmarked Triumph marked car with the call sign Foxtrot One One when they spotted the trio in their van.
Roberts opened fire with a Luger pistol as the officers approached, killing Det Con Wombell before he chased and shot Sergeant Head. One of his accomplices then shot Geoffrey Fox.
Despite the other two suspects being found shortly afterwards, Roberts remained on the run for 100 days before he was found hiding out in a disused airfield near Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire.
At his trial the Old Bailey, Roberts was jailed for a minimum of 30 years. His two accomplices both died more than 25 years ago.
Despite being continually denied parole amid suspicion he was still involved in crime and associating with other notorious criminals, Roberts was eventually released in November 2014, having spent 48 years behind bars.