REAL CRIME: A MIND TO MURDER: DENNIS NILSEN

DVD. An episode aired on ITV (December 21, 2003) of the British true-crime documentary series Real Crime, titled "A Mind to Murder". The episode focuses on Dennis Nilsen, the Scottish serial killer and necrophile known as the "Muswell Hill Murderer" or "Kindly Killer." Between 1978 and 1983, Nilsen murdered at least 12 young men (possibly up to 15) in his London flats at Melrose Avenue and Cranley Gardens. He lured vulnerable, often homeless gay men from pubs, strangled them (usually while they slept), engaged in necrophilia, dismembered bodies, and disposed of remains by burying them under floorboards, burning them in bonfires, or flushing parts down the toilet — leading to his 1983 arrest after human remains blocked drains. The documentary explores: Nilsen's psychology — his loneliness, desire for "permanent companionship," abusive childhood, alcoholism, and necrophilic urges. It delves into why he killed to "keep" victims rather than for sexual gratification alone. The crimes — victim profiles (mostly young drifters), methods, and the gruesome aftermath. Investigation and trial — Police discovery, Nilsen's calm confession (detailing murders like a "shopping list"), Old Bailey trial (1983), where he pleaded not guilty by reason of diminished responsibility but was convicted of six murders (life sentence, minimum 25 years — no parole eligibility). Interviews and analysis — experts on offender profiling, detectives, and possibly archival clips; dramatised reconstructions of key events. Runs approximately 50 minutes. DVD in plastic case. F.