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Michael Gilbert

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Michael Gilbert

Birth
Death
Jan 2009 (aged 26–27)
England
Burial
Cremated Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
Michael Gilbert grew up in a unstable home and spent parts of his childhood in foster care. In foster care at age 15 he made a friend, James Watt, and eventually moved in with him after he was let out of foster care.

While there he was kept as a slave, sexually abused, stabbed, shot at with an air gun and treated like a dog for a decade. He endured appalling violence at their home including being stabbed, hit with a baseball bat, forced to stand in boiling water and shot at with an air pistol. He was shacked to a bed and attacked by the family's pet pitbulls.

Evidence given during the criminal trial revealed he had locking pliers attached to his body to lead him around 'like a dog on a leash'. In January 2009 he was murdered by the Watt family for his benefit money. The criminal family hacked up his body, put his body parts in a prison bag, and dumped him in a lake.

A pathologist who examined the body found that the aorta artery had been cut, that there were stab wounds on the chest, and that there were internal injuries to the stomach and intestine, but was unsure of the precise cause of death.The police ignored his pleas for help claiming he had 'invented his injuries.'

Two separate reports into the murder of Michael Gilbert, 26, found he was let down by numerous professionals from early childhood until his body was found dumped in the Blue Lagoon in Arlesey, Bedfordshire, in 2009.

Mr Gilbert's mother contacted the body in July 2010, alleging police had failed to investigate three incidents involving her son.

Commissioner Rachel Cerfontyne said: 'This is a tragic case and one where the horrific manner of Michael's death must make it even harder for his loved ones to cope with their loss.

'We looked at specific allegations that the police did not investigate three incidents involving Michael and the Watt family.

'We have found that on each occasion investigations had taken place, but were flawed due to misinformation, failures in communication and human error.'

In 2010, three members of the Watt family were jailed for life for murder, and three others for familial homicide, with a judge branding their crime 'depraved'.

Richard Watt was sentenced to six years in prison and Jennifer Smith-Dennis was jailed for 10 years. Robert Watt was jailed for eight years; Nichola Roberts was jailed for life. James Watt, 27, his girlfriend, Natasha Oldfield, 29, and his brother Richard's girlfriend, Nichola Roberts, 22, were jailed for life. James's brother, Robert Watt, 20, and his mother, Jennifer Smith-Dennis, 58, were jailed for eight years and 10 years respectively for familial homicide. A third brother, Richard Watt, 25, who previously pleaded guilty to familial homicide, was sentenced to six years in prison.
Michael Gilbert grew up in a unstable home and spent parts of his childhood in foster care. In foster care at age 15 he made a friend, James Watt, and eventually moved in with him after he was let out of foster care.

While there he was kept as a slave, sexually abused, stabbed, shot at with an air gun and treated like a dog for a decade. He endured appalling violence at their home including being stabbed, hit with a baseball bat, forced to stand in boiling water and shot at with an air pistol. He was shacked to a bed and attacked by the family's pet pitbulls.

Evidence given during the criminal trial revealed he had locking pliers attached to his body to lead him around 'like a dog on a leash'. In January 2009 he was murdered by the Watt family for his benefit money. The criminal family hacked up his body, put his body parts in a prison bag, and dumped him in a lake.

A pathologist who examined the body found that the aorta artery had been cut, that there were stab wounds on the chest, and that there were internal injuries to the stomach and intestine, but was unsure of the precise cause of death.The police ignored his pleas for help claiming he had 'invented his injuries.'

Two separate reports into the murder of Michael Gilbert, 26, found he was let down by numerous professionals from early childhood until his body was found dumped in the Blue Lagoon in Arlesey, Bedfordshire, in 2009.

Mr Gilbert's mother contacted the body in July 2010, alleging police had failed to investigate three incidents involving her son.

Commissioner Rachel Cerfontyne said: 'This is a tragic case and one where the horrific manner of Michael's death must make it even harder for his loved ones to cope with their loss.

'We looked at specific allegations that the police did not investigate three incidents involving Michael and the Watt family.

'We have found that on each occasion investigations had taken place, but were flawed due to misinformation, failures in communication and human error.'

In 2010, three members of the Watt family were jailed for life for murder, and three others for familial homicide, with a judge branding their crime 'depraved'.

Richard Watt was sentenced to six years in prison and Jennifer Smith-Dennis was jailed for 10 years. Robert Watt was jailed for eight years; Nichola Roberts was jailed for life. James Watt, 27, his girlfriend, Natasha Oldfield, 29, and his brother Richard's girlfriend, Nichola Roberts, 22, were jailed for life. James's brother, Robert Watt, 20, and his mother, Jennifer Smith-Dennis, 58, were jailed for eight years and 10 years respectively for familial homicide. A third brother, Richard Watt, 25, who previously pleaded guilty to familial homicide, was sentenced to six years in prison.

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