Aahana Swrup
Gary Vinter is a notorious killer who first struck in the 90s only to continue his inconsistent but brutal killing spree in the future — even well after his incarceration. Therefore, he remains one of the most infamously violent criminals from Middlesbrough of his time. Naturally, the same compels the episode titled ‘Vinter’ of the docuseries ‘World’s Most Evil Prisoners’ to delve into his multiple murder and attempted murder cases when exploring ruthless convicted killers like himself. In the episode featuring Vinter’s life, the show interviews numerous individuals, including the family of those who fell victim to the killer, prison guards, and other former offenders, to present a detailed account of the criminal and his crime-filled life.
Gary Vinter Was Convicted for Two Murders
Douglas Gary Vinter, known for his tall 6ft 7in stature, first entered the prison system in 1996 for the murder of his colleague Carl Edon. Edon, a 22-year-old man with a fiance and kids on the way, worked with the former at the train tracks, where, following an unknown series of events, his co-worker ended up stabbing him to death. As per records, Vinter turned himself in after the murder, which took place on August 2, 1995. In 1996, the killer received a life sentence in prison with a minimum term of ten years. Consequently, despite the life sentence, he was released in 2005.
By then, Vinter had entered a relationship with Anne White— mother of four kids— whom he ended up marrying in July 2006 despite her family’s disapproval. Nevertheless, he started showcasing abusive behavior soon, resulting in a separation in early 2007. Eventually, on December 31, 2006, New Year’s Eve, he partook in a violent pub brawl that landed him back in prison. His sentence this time around was only for six months. Thus, he managed to win his freedom once again a year later, in December 2007, by exhibiting “Model Prisoner Behavior.” Eight weeks later, on February 11, 2008, Vinter returned to his violent ways, tracking down his estranged wife, White, and kidnapping her.
After taking White to Middlesbrough, his mother’s home, Vinter killed her via stabbing in the kitchen. In Teesside Crown Court, during his trial, the killer admitted to the murder and reportedly taunted his victim’s family, showcasing no remorse for his actions. As a result, Vinter, now a two-time murderer, received a lifetime sentence for White’s death. According to Teesside Live, when asked about his motives, the perpetrator told the police, “The reasons I did it [White’s murder], well, I’ll be keeping to myself.”
Gary Vinter Attempted Murders During His Imprisonment
During his imprisonment, Gary Vinter was often moved around from prison to prison due to his increasingly violent behavior. Eventually, he landed in West Yorkshire’s Wakefield Jail, where an altercation brought his criminal actions to the center of attention. In July 2011, Vinter attacked Roy Whiting, another inmate with a life sentence. The former stabbed his victim in the eye with a sharpened plastic toilet brush, for which the attacked individual had to be taken to Pinderfields Hospital. As a convicted sex offender who murdered an 8-year-old girl, Whiting retained a certain notoriety that many believe to be the reason behind his attack.
As per BBC, when the Newcastle Crown Court asked Vinter about the motive behind his attack on Whiting, the inmate replied, “He [Whiting] was a dirty little nonce. That’s why I did it.” For attacking Whiting, he pled guilty to the wounding with intent charge and received a life sentence with a notional 5-year minimum jail term. Yet, his multiple life sentences hardly discouraged him from his violent ways — and he continued to be a threat to his fellow inmates while in prison. Eventually, in November 2014, Vinter struck again, this time targeting Lee Newell at England’s Woodhill prison’s segregation section. His attack on the latter was brutal and resulted in head and brain injuries for Newell, as well as blindness in the right eye.
Initially, Vinter pled not guilty to the charge of attempted murder but ended up admitting guilt in February 2016 during trial. According to reports, his attack came on the heels of a transfer request to another prison with a better gym. Since the proceedings remained unfinished two months later, he attacked Newell in a bid to get transferred. In the end, Vinter received an 18-year sentence on top of his preexisting life sentences.
Gary Vinter Remains Imprisoned Under a Life Sentence
Following the trial for Newell’s attack, Gary Vinter’s life-long imprisonment without the possibility of parole became an inevitable fact. Thus, the killer remained in prison, where in 2016, he was said to have co-founded a violent anti-muslim gang, Death Before Dishonor, at the Close Supervision Centres. The following year, in 2017, Vinter attempted to appeal his life imprisonment sentence by arguing that the government was violating his human rights with the punishment. While his lawyer maintained that proper procedures weren’t in place for reviewing the sentences of inmates with life sentences, the judge dismissed the case. Consequently, Gary Vinter has to spend the rest of his life behind bars without any chance of parole.
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