EVIL killer Peter Hall bludgeoned and stabbed to death the woman he loved because he feared he was going to lose her. He then collected Celeste Bates' sons Daniel, eight, and Milo, 17 months, after school and from nursery one by one before battering them to death in their own bedrooms with a pick axe handle. After each murder he washed and dressed himself before continuing the killing.
Then with Celeste and her children dead on their beds, Hall went into a nearby pub and boasted to unsuspecting drinkers: "Tomorrow I'm going to be famous."
Heating engineer Hall, aged 34, of Moss Shaw Way, Radcliffe, was named by detectives as the man wanted in connection with the murder hours after the bodies were discovered.
The man who led the police investigation Det Supt Mick Gorrill, head of Bolton CID, said: "No one else was ever suspected of the murder. Only one man could possibly have carried out that awful crime."
Celeste separated from her husband, Ian Bates, nine months before she was killed.
She met Hall the same month at a Christmas disco at the Last Drop Hotel, Bromley Cross.
Hall, who had not had a regular girlfriend for several years, fell head over heels for the raven-haired beauty. He put her on a "pedestal" but all too soon, friends say, his feelings became obsessive.
He often stayed with Celeste at her Egerton home in Blackburn Road and even took the children to school and nursery. Detectives believe the 6ft 3ins tall charmer killed Celeste because he feared she was going to return to her estranged husband.
He battered Celeste in a jealous rage with an ornamental iron before stabbing her eight times. A post mortem examination later revealed any of the blows could have killed her.
He then drove home to Radcliffe where he washed himself and changed his clothing before returning to Egerton.
Hall - seemingly intent on destroying all that Celeste loved - then collected oldest son Daniel from Egerton County Primary School.
He lured the youngster into his own bedroom where he battered him to death with a pick axe handle.
He also killed the schoolboy's hamster by throwing it against a wall.
Hall washed himself in the neat terraced home before setting off to collect Milo from High View Nursery, off Belmont Road, Sharples.
Staff were unconcerned and handed Milo over because there was nothing unusual in Hall collecting the baby boy.
But, on arriving home, Hall battered Milo with the same weapon he had used to kill his older brother.
A post mortem examination revealed both boys died from multiple head injuries. Hall again washed before going into the nearby King William IV pub for a pint.
He then boasted to the small group inside, informing them that they would soon be reading about his exploits in the Bolton Evening News.
Regulars in the pub treated his boast with mild amusement.
It was only the next day, though, that the meaning behind his bizarre boast became horrifyingly clear. After each murder he washed and dressed himself before continuing the killing.
Then with Celeste and her children dead on their beds, Hall went into a nearby pub and boasted to unsuspecting drinkers: "Tomorrow I'm going to be famous."
Heating engineer Hall, aged 34, of Moss Shaw Way, Radcliffe, was named by detectives as the man wanted in connection with the murder hours after the bodies were discovered.
The man who led the police investigation Det Supt Mick Gorrill, head of Bolton CID, said: "No one else was ever suspected of the murder. Only one man could possibly have carried out that awful crime." Celeste separated from her husband, Ian Bates, nine months before she was killed.
She met Hall the same month at a Christmas disco at the Last Drop Hotel, Bromley Cross.
Hall, who had not had a regular girlfriend for several years, fell head over heels for the raven-haired beauty.
He put her on a "pedestal" but all too soon, friends say, his feelings became obsessive.
He often stayed with Celeste at her Egerton home in Blackburn Road and even took the children to school and nursery.
Detectives believe the 6ft 3ins tall charmer killed Celeste because he feared she was going to return to her estranged husband.
He battered Celeste in a jealous rage with an ornamental iron before stabbing her eight times. A post mortem examination later revealed any of the blows could have killed her.
He then drove home to Radcliffe where he washed himself and changed his clothing before returning to Egerton. Hall - seemingly intent on destroying all that Celeste loved - then collected oldest son Daniel from Egerton County Primary School.
He lured the youngster into his own bedroom where he battered him to death with a pick axe handle.
He also killed the schoolboy's hamster by throwing it against a wall.
Hall washed himself in the neat terraced home before setting off to collect Milo from High View Nursery, off Belmont Road, Sharples.
Staff were unconcerned and handed Milio over because there was nothing unusual in Hall collecting the baby boy.
But, on arriving home, Hall battered Milo with the same weapon he had used to kill his older brother.
A post mortem examination revealed both boys died from multiple head injuries.
Hall again washed before going into the nearby King William 1V pub for a pint.
He then boasted to the small group inside informing them that they will soon be reading about his exploits in the Bolton Evening News. Regulars in the pub treated his boast with mild amusement.
It was only the next day, though, that the meaning behind his bizarre boast became horrifyingly clear.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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