A serial killer has appealed against his life sentence for multiple murder, claiming that he has been suffering from a serious mental illness that causes him to kill people.
Trucker Al Killigan, 42, from Bishop's Kumquat, was arrested earlier this year after murdering over 70 hitchhikers in his long-haul vehicle as he drove throughout the UK making deliveries for a well known bottled air supplier.
Most of his victims were killed by boredom and starvation after Killigan would refuse to let them leave his cab and would talk to them endlessly about his life. The passenger seat on his lorry had been fitted with an unbreakable seatbelt, which he used to immobilise his victims.
One lucky survivor said, "He had this terrifyingly dreary voice, it was like listening to paint dry. He'd just talk on and on about his truck and places he'd driven to. After a few hours of that I actually wanted to kill myself."
Killigan's lawyers have protested at the sentence, claiming that he is suffering from a number of mental illnesses, including repetitive homicide syndrome and murderer's elbow. These illnesses mean that he is incapable of not killing, and according to his lawyers he should therefore be released.
Representatives for the prosecution have dismissed his appeal claims as "loony". Lawyer Milcolm Dry has said, "I understand completely why the defence have decided to take this approach, and I am grateful for the extra income. However, they are talking complete nonsense and I hope we can get Al locked up for a long time."
He added, "I never want to see this sicko again, at least until his next lucrative appeal."
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