Babes in the Wood murderer’s girlfriend faces perjury charge

The former girlfriend of Babes in the Wood murderer Russell Bishop faces charges of perjury and perverting justice.

Jennie Johnson, 54, who had a child with Bishop and lived with him in Hollingdean, has been summonsed to court in May.

The charges relate to statements made by Johnson to the police and evidence that she gave in court after Bishop killed Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway in October 1986.

He was cleared of their murder at a trial in 1987 but convicted and jailed for 36 years in December 2018.

Sussex Police said today (Tuesday 24 March): “Jennifer Johnson, 54, of Brighton, was served on 24 March with a summons to appear at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on (Thursday) 28 May to face charges that she committed offences of perverting the course of justice and of perjury.

“The charges relate to statements she made to the police, and evidence she gave at Lewes Crown Court in November 1987, during the investigation and prosecution of Russell Bishop for the murders of Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway in Wild Park, Brighton, in October 1986.

“The prosecution, authorised by the CPS, follows an investigation by detectives from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team.

“We have ensured that the families of Karen and Nicola, and the victim of Russell Bishop in 1990, are fully aware of this significant development in the case and we will continue to keep them informed.

“We understand that this development will cause considerable public interest but we remind the public that this case is now before the courts and it is essential that nothing is published or broadcast, including any comment on social media, that could create a risk of prejudice to the course of justice.

“Any such material would be reported to the Crown Prosecution Service.”