A notorious criminal known as the Devil’s Disciple is seeking parole after spending five decades behind bars. Patrick Mackay, now 72 years old, was imprisoned for the murders of two elderly women and a priest in 1975, in addition to confessing to eight other slayings. Despite being one of the longest-serving offenders in the UK, Mackay is scheduled for a parole hearing in March.
Mackay was convicted of strangling an 87-year-old widow named Isabella Griffiths and another elderly woman, Adele Price, 89, along with brutally killing Catholic priest Anthony Crean, 62, using an axe in Kent. Although Mackay initially admitted to eight more murders, he later recanted his statements, leaving those cases unsolved.
At the age of 23, Mackay was found guilty of murdering Isabella and Adele in separate incidents in London. He was also convicted of the priest’s slaying in a village in 1975, where the priest’s disfigured body was discovered in a bathtub filled with bloodied water.
Following his arrest, Mackay, who now goes by the name David Groves, was sentenced to life in prison for manslaughter due to diminished responsibility. The trial judge considered an additional 24 offenses, including thefts and robberies, while two more murder charges were left pending. Mackay has been in open custody since 2017.
In a previous parole attempt, Mackay was denied release due to drug use. Medical professionals noted his psychopathic tendencies, which were evident even at the age of 16 when he was confined under a section order. He was later released four years later.
Mackay confessed to several more murders, including the killing of a German au pair, a homeless man, a grandmother and her grandson, among others. Despite initially admitting to these crimes, he retracted his statements before trial.
The upcoming parole review for Patrick Mackay is scheduled for March 2026, as confirmed by a Parole Board spokesperson. The decision regarding Mackay’s parole will hinge on the potential risk he poses to the public upon release and whether this risk can be effectively managed in the community.
