For many a young person, they dream of meeting their dream partner. Kelly Anne Bates believed that she had. But what she’d actually found was nightmare horror film fuel.
Kelly Anne Bates was born on April 18th, 1978, in Hattersley, Greater Manchester, England. Her parents, Tommy and Margaret, doted on her, and encouraged her to be whomever she wanted to be, and do whatever she wanted to do. As a result, she grew up to be a very confident, vivacious, mature teenager, who often seemed to act far older than her actual age.
In contrast, James Patterson Smith was divorced, unemployed, and living in the Gorton area of Manchester when he met Kelly. He was described by some as a ‘well-groomed teetotaller’, who was very ‘house-proud’. But he was also an extremely dangerous, violent man.
After ten years of marriage, his wife left him in 1980 due to his abuse. Smith was undeterred. Between 1980 and 1982, he dated 20-year-old Tina Watson. She often described herself as his ‘punching bag’. The abuse was constant, and did not let up, even when she was pregnant with his child. When he’d attempted to drown her in the bath, she left him.
Again, Smith could not be stopped. In 1982, 15-year-old Wendy Mottershead fell for his charms. Again, he systematically, and constantly, abused her. She also left him when he attempted to drown her under water in the kitchen sink.
And these are the accounts of women who have come forward. There’s no way of knowing just how many women James Patterson Smith abused and tortured before he met Kelly Anne Bates.
In 1993, Smith met Kelly while she was babysitting for people he knew. Kelly was 14. And Smith wanted her. He began charming her, and love-bombing her. Kelly was swayed, and fell for him. However, she knew that her parents would not approve, so they kept their relationship a secret.
Two years later, in 1995, Kelly was 16 years old, and she felt the time was right. She introduced her boyfriend, ‘Dave Smith’, to her parents, telling them that he was 32 years old. While shocked, there wasn’t very much her parents could do. Under UK law, Kelly was technically an adult.
Kelly had also lied to her parents in order to protect Smith, who’s name was not ‘Dave’, and who was actually 49 years old.
Margaret immediately felt that something was off about the man. Not only the large age difference – which was far larger than she even knew – but the way he acted. Margaret did not like him. She tried to talk to her daughter about her misgivings, but Kelly doubled down. Smith loved her, she said. She wanted her parents to believe that.
Smith, though, had a very strange way of showing his love. As Kelly had started spending weekends at his home, they noticed that she was growing more withdrawn. She was no longer the vivacious, confident young woman they knew. Her world started and stopped with Smith.
As she would return home from a weekend at his, he would call the Bates home with uncanny timing. Just as Kelly would be walking through the door, the phone would ring, and Smith would be asking for Kelly. Then, they would spend hours on the phone. Smith had know where Kelly was at all times. If Kelly was waylaid on her way home, Smith would grow irritated.
The couple argued often, something Tommy and Margaret hoped would end their relationship. However, at the end of November in 1995, Kelly made an announcement. She was moving in with Smith. Margaret and Tommy were heartbroken.
They’d tried to find out anything they could about Kelly’s boyfriend. They asked around town if anyone knew anything about ’32-year-old Dave Smith’, to no avail. No one had any idea who Tommy and Margaret were talking about. Which was unusual for the small, tight-knit community. If only they’d asked after 49-year-old James Patterson Smith.
Slowly, Kelly stopped calling her parents, or visiting their home. However, when they did see her, she would be wearing baggy, dark clothing, and would keep her head down. When she would look up, of if her sleeves pulled up, her parents noticed bruises. During one visit, Margaret noted that one entire side of Kelly’s face was black and blue. Kelly always had excuses ready. Excuses her parents did not believe for a single moment.
Then, Kelly stopped visiting or calling all-together. In December of 1995, she quit her part-time job, and no one really heard much from her again.
In March of 1996, Margaret and Tommy began receiving anniversary and birthday cards. Presumably, the cards were from Kelly, however they were not written in her handwriting.
On April 16th, 1996, James Patterson Smith walked into the Gorton police station, and informed police that his girlfriend was dead. He told them that she’d inhaled water while bathing in the bathtub during an argument, and died accidentally. He stated that he tried to resuscitate her, but was unsuccessful. He was also sure to tell them that his girlfriend was known to pretend to be unconscious, which is why he hadn’t noticed that she’d drowned.
When police arrived at the house, they found Kelly’s nude body in a bedroom. The house was covered in Kelly’s blood. She was taken for autopsy, where over 150 separate injuries were found all over her body. William Lawler, the pathologist who performed Kelly’s autopsy stated: “In my career, I have examined almost 600 victimes of homicide but I have never come across injuries so extensive.”
(Note – I will not go into detail about the systematic abuse and torture inflicted on Kelly. There are multiple accounts that detail all of her injuries extensively.)
The autopsy also noted that Kelly had been starved, losing close to 20 kg (44 lbs). She’d also been severely dehydrated. Her official cause of death was noted as drowning, following being beaten about the head.
When James Patterson Smith was taken into custody, he denied murdering Kelly. He claimed that it was accidental – that Kelly had goaded him into it. Smith claimed that Kelly would ‘taunt’ him about his dead mother, and would ‘dare’ him to hurt her. He also claimed that Kelly would injure herself, to make it look worse for him.
A consulting psychiatrist on the case, Gillian Mezey, testified to the court that Smith lived in a ‘distorted reality’ as a result of severe paranoia with morbid jealousy.
Other women, including the accounts above, testified about Smith’s pattern of behaviour in regards to women, and his extremely violent tendencies. He wanted to control women, and he would beat them into submission.
Peter Openshaw, the prosecutor for the case, concluded by stating: “Her death must have been a merciful end to her torment.”
After deliberating for one hour, the jury found 49-year-old James Patterson Smith guilty of the murder of Kelly Anne Bates on November 19th, 1997. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum of 20 years before the possibility of parole.
For the first time, the jury, defense attorneys, and prosecuting attorneys, as well as the judge, were all provided with professional counselling after reviewing the horrific details of the case. They all took up the offer.
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Sources:
Kelly Anne Bates: The Most Gruesome Murder in Britain’s History – Bugged Space
Kelly Anne Bates’ Horrific Torture and Murder at the Hands of James Patterson Smith – Wyatt Redd – All That’s Interesting
Redhanded podcast – Episode 111 – Tortured to Death: Kelly Anne Bates
Murder of Kelly Anne Bates Wikipedia page