Thurston - CO 533/576 - 1926 - Removal of L.W. Churcher convicted of murder, 1925, from Kenya to England

Thurston - CO 533/425/21 - 1932 - L.W. Churcher: conditional discharge from Broadmoor

CO 533/576 - Removal of convict Leonard William Churcher - convicted of the murder of Mrs Sim by shooting her with a revolver at a farm 18 miles from Kitale. Churcher was considered insane and arrived in England on 27/6/26 with Police Sgt. Instructor B.J. Rand and sent to Broadmoor. Churcher was tried in August 1925 at Eldoret and he had not then completed 5 years' residence in Kenya. Churcher had been drinking freely. Testimony from Major Charles Alexander Gordon Stewart Sim, a farmer at Cherangani - " …….. my wife named Ada Lilian known as 'Kitty' …. when I married her she was a widow in 1920 in England. She had been in the theatrical profession. I have known the accused just over a year. …. First met him in London ….. introduced by my wife. My wife was older, about 6 years older; the accused I believe to be about 25 to 26 years old. The accused was wounded; so he said, serving in the Artists' Rifles. ……. wounded in 1917 …. wound in the leg … healed … he had a disability, it left the foot badly crippled and the accused is in receipt of a disability pension ……… he told me he was on the stage before the war. …… ….. He was moody and sometimes depressed but not a heavy drinker ………… before 8th August was taking too much alcohol …….. my wife treated him practically as an adopted son ………… [mention of Sauthey, Millar, Dr. Arnell, a female doctor]