Richard Scatchard victim calls for scrutiny after killer's release

Victims and experts are calling for scrutiny of prison release policies following the actions of Richard Scatchard, a man who drugged and raped multiple women over a 40-year period.

Scatchard, who had previously received four life sentences for his crimes, was released on licence in 2013. In 2023, he killed his partner, Kelly Faiers, by coercing her into taking sleeping tablets after consuming alcohol. Following the killing, Scatchard went on the run and was later found dead in a caravan park.

A survivor of Scatchard’s abuse, a 70-year-old woman named Krystyna, has waived her right to anonymity to describe how he drugged her during their acquaintance in the late 1990s. The National Crime Agency has highlighted the case as part of an “urgent need” to address the growing international issue of men drugging and raping women, noting that some offenders film these assaults to post online.