Pottery Cottage murders
The Pottery Cottage murders happened in Eastmoor, Chesterfield in January 1977. William Thomas Hughes escaped from police whilst being moved from prison to court where he was facing charges of rape and assault. He stabbed two prison officers during his escape and then took five members of a local family hostage. Only one person from this family survived.
Police shot Hughes dead after he had killed four members of the family. He was the first person to be shot dead by the Derbyshire Constabulary.
References
Mass murder in the 1970s
1970s in the United Kingdom
1977 in Europe
January events