Mistress of David Fuller says he was the 'perfect gentleman' during two-year affair
Published: 17:32, 07 November 2021
Updated: 13:31, 08 November 2021
A nurse who had a two-year affair with murderer David Fuller says she 'never saw a bad side to him' and was horrified to hear about his vile crimes.
The 67-year-old admitted killing Wendy Knell and Caroline Pierce in Tunbridge Wells in 1987, and had sex with a number of corpses in mortuaries he had access to while working as a hospital electrician.
The woman believed Fuller was an “ordinary, quiet man” when she started dating him aged 27 in 1990 while he was with second wife.
But three years earlier he had sexually assaulted and killed Wendy Knell, 25, and Caroline Pierce, 20, in what became known as the Bedsit Murders.
He also had sex with at least 98 dead bodies while he worked at Kent and Sussex Hospital in Tunbridge Wells and later at the new Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury, crimes his mistress only learned of during last week's trial.
She told the Sunday Mirror: “To think I’m associated with someone who did something so terrible is awful. I’m very lucky he didn’t kill me.
“I was quite aware of the Bedsit Murders and I was very nervous about them. The murders were in my mind and a lot of young women’s minds.
“Little did I know I was actually dating the person responsible. In the back of my mind I do still think, ‘Why was I spared?’
She says the revelations have left her shaken as to her, he was the 'perfect gentleman' and she 'didn’t see a bad side to him at all'.
She added: "There was nothing to lead me to believe he’s the person we’ve now found him out to be.
“He never showed any perversion in bed. He was totally ordinary and normal.
"I still can’t believe that he could be capable and part of me still doesn’t want to believe it, but equally I want him to pay for what he’s done."
Looking back on their dates, she said: “The first outing was to the Folkestone Air Show. We once went to a Beverley Craven concert in London and he would visit me at my flat, but most of it was at the social club at the Kent and Sussex Hospital.
“I knew he was unhappy with his wife. But our relationship ended because he didn’t want what I wanted and he didn’t want to be with me any more.
“I remember him saying to me that he had met another staff nurse and he was going to start seeing her.”
The hospital electrician was arrested on December 3 for the 1987 murders after new DNA evidence was linked to him three decades later.
After the arrest, police painstakingly searched his home in East Sussex and found a hoard of images and videos of him abusing corpses at mortuaries he had access to.
Four hard drives were found concealed around his home and there were also detailed notes of each victim, including their names and dates of death.
On Thursday he changed his plea to guilty mid-way through his Maidstone Crown Court trial.
One of his victims was Azra Kemal, 24, who fell to her death from a bridge on the A21 near Tonbridge.
Her corpse was taken to the morgue at Tunbridge Wells Hospital where Fuller carried out the vile assault.
Her mother Nevres Kemal told the Times she was arrested after trying to kill him by taking a knife to Colindale police station where she believed he was being held.
She has spoken of her pain, upon discovering her daughter was violated by Fuller.
Since the court case unfolded, his ex has started counselling and described his crimes as 'up there with the Moors Murderers, the Wests and Shipman'.
Fuller's children have also spoken of their 'total shock' after hearing about their father's sickening crimes.
The MP for Tunbridge Wells, Greg Clark has asked the government for a public inquiry into the case.
A phone line has been set up in the wake of the case intended for people who feel they may have information about the investigation.
To contact the phone line, dial 0800 051 5270.
Read more: All the latest news from Kent
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Liane Castle