Gary Allen handed life sentence for murdering two women 21 years apart

Gary Allen handed life sentence for murdering two women 21 years apart

Gary Allen, who murdered two women two decades apart, was yesterday handed a life sentence with a requirement to serve a minimum of 37 years behind bars.

Allen was sentenced yesterday at Sheffield Crown Court following the murder of Samantha Class in 1997 – a crime he had previously been acquitted of in 2000 by a jury.

He was also convicted of the murder of Alena Grlakova in Rotherham in 2018.

Allen admitted responsibility for the murder of Samantha Class in 2011 when a group of seven undercover officers from Humberside Police posed as criminals and befriended him, using cover stories and techniques like staging illicit deliveries and burning bloodied clothes to gain his trust.

Around 400 hours of secret recordings were made by the undercover officers, in which he openly admitted to “Ian” that he strangled a sex worker and “dumped her in the Humber”.

Listen to the recording below:

Detective Chief Inspector Christine Calvert, senior investigating officer, said: “Gary Allen is an extremely dangerous man, particularly to women, and is now exactly where he belongs, in prison.

“Samantha and Alena’s children are without a mum because of what this man did, and he is yet to show any remorse for his actions.

“Their families have waited a long time for this moment, to know that Gary Allen will be behind bars for the rest of his life, unable to cause any further harm and break up anymore family units.

“Whilst his conviction and this sentence don’t bring back their loved ones, I hope now they can begin their healing process and this brings a sense of closure.

“I just once again want to thank them for their strength, courage and dignity in what has been an extremely painful and long ordeal.”

Sentencing Allen, The Honourable Mr Justice Goose said: “You have been convicted of the murders of two women 21 years apart.

“You thought you had got away with murder, but today your past has caught up with you. This jury has, on overwhelming evidence, convicted you on both murders.

“You are an extremely dangerous man with a long-held, deep seated, warped view of women, in particular sex workers.

“It would not be an overstatement to say that what you did to those two women and the suffering to their families was wicked.”