Heathfield murderer David Fuller abused bodies in mortuaries and was not caught due to ‘serious failings’ at Kent and Sussex and Tunbridge Wells hospitals, inquiry finds

Fuller, formerly from Heathfield, sexually abused the bodies of at least 101 women and girls while employed at the now-closed Kent and Sussex Hospital and Tunbridge Wells Hospital between 2005 and 2020.

Fuller, 69, was already serving a whole life sentence for the murders of Wendy Knell, 25, and Caroline Pierce, 20, in two separate attacks in Tunbridge Wells in 1987, when police uncovered his systematic sexual abuse in hospital mortuaries.

The government launched an independent inquiry two years ago to investigate how Fuller could carry out his crimes undetected. The first phase looked at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust.

The report found Fuller could ‘offend undetected’ amid failures in ‘management, governance’ and standard procedures not being followed.

There was ‘little regard’ for who accessed the mortuary, with Fuller visiting 444 times in a year – something that went ‘unnoticed and unchecked’, reporters were told.

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At a November 28 press conference, inquiry chairman Sir Jonathan Michael said: “Failures of management, of governance, of regulation, failure to follow standard policies and procedures, together with a persistent lack of curiosity, all contributed to the creation of the environment in which he was able to offend and to do so for 15 years without ever being suspected or caught.

“Over the years, there were missed opportunities to question Fuller’s working practices. He routinely worked beyond his contracted hours, undertaking tasks in the mortuary that were not necessary or which should not have been carried out by someone with his chronic back problems.”

The inquiry heard from hospital staff that they did not believe there was a requirement to supervise electrical maintenance supervisor Fuller in the post-mortem room. The investigation said there was ‘virtually no on-site supervision’ at the mortuary and a culture developed where standard procedures were not followed.

Trust chief executive Miles Scott, who took on the role in 2018, said he was deeply sorry for anguish suffered by the families of Fuller’s victims. Many recommendations were acted on after Fuller’s arrest, and Mr Scott said the trust would implement the remainder quickly.

Health minister Maria Caulfield apologised on behalf of the government and the NHS.