The BBC was reportedly warned by two whistleblowers that British true crime author Christopher Berry-Dee claimed to have obtained the missing clothes of child murder victim Karen Hadaway. The clothes were lost by the broadcaster after being obtained by journalist Martin Bashir in 1991 for a potential documentary.
The Guardian has established that the office of the former head of the BBC and the corporation’s whistleblowing unit were both informed of Berry-Dee's claims. Karen Hadaway was murdered in 1986 alongside Nicola Fellows in what became known as the Babes in the Woods murders.
Freelance journalist Eileen Fairweather contacted the BBC's whistleblowing unit in 2022, stating her belief that Berry-Dee was the last known person to possess Karen's clothes. She was informed three years later that the case was closed with no further action. A second warning was sent to the office of then BBC director general Tim Davie by Ian Heffron, an uncle of Nicola Fellows, but he reportedly received no further response.
Berry-Dee told The Guardian he had obtained the clothes and claimed to have since burned them, but did not clarify the timeline or whether he obtained them a second time after they were given to the BBC. A lawyer for Martin Bashir stated Bashir left the clothing at the BBC's Public Eye offices.
The BBC declined to comment on whether it took action in response to the emails, stating in 2023 it apologised for falling short in its duty of care to Michelle Hadaway and reached a settlement regarding the loss of her daughter's clothes. The corporation added it believes the matter has been investigated as thoroughly as possible.