On April 7 1964, John Alan West was bludgeoned and stabbed to death in his Cumbrian home.

The brutal crime took place in Workington and the murderer’s motives were said to be fuelled by monetary concerns.

While very tragic, nothing else about the case is very remarkable- but it’s a tragedy that has cemented itself in the history books for being a significant milestones of England’s capital punishment laws.

The murderers Peter Anthony Allen and Gwynne Owen Evans were sentenced to death for their crimes- little did they know that theirs would be the last judicial executions in the UK.

24-year-old  Gwynne Owen Evans, who was from Maryport, knew the victim- he also knew that he was living alone.

Together with 21-year-old Peter Anthony Allen, they drove to Weston’s home on that fateful night in a car they stole from Preston in Lancashire.

At around 3am, neighbours reported hearing strange noises and thuds before the screech of a car driving away.

Alan’s naked body was discovered moments later- he had suffered head injuries and a stab wound to the heart.

News and Star: Gwynne Owen Evans was hung in HMP Manchester (Photo: Google Maps)Gwynne Owen Evans was hung in HMP Manchester (Photo: Google Maps)

However, the killers did not make it difficult for police to track them down as they made their getaway.

In the car with the murderers was Allen’s wife along with their two children.

When they drove past Windermere they discarded the murder weapon in the countryside.

They made off with a watch and two bank books from which they withdrew £10.

Police found Evans' jacket hanging on the banister which quickly lead the police to the duo.

Once they were arrested, they quickly broke down under questioning and blamed each other for the horrific murder.

The pair were given the death penalty- but at the time there was a growing movement against capital punishment and both men launched appeals against their case in order to get a life sentence instead.

However, the pair weren’t successful and they were taken to separate jails to be hanged.

Allen was taken to Walton Prison Liverpool and Evans to Strangeways in Manchester.

At 8am on 13 August, 1964, they were led from their cells and both were hanged.

Now the names Peter Anthony Allen and Gwynne Owen Evans will be synonymous with capital punishment as they were the last people to be executed in England.

The death penalty was officially abolished in Great Britain (excluding Northern Ireland) in 1965.