Professor Found Guilty of Killing Her Softly

‘Probably misunderstood’ sociology professor is finally found guilty of 1983 murder of professional disco dancer Jenny Zap as she walked to a friend’s house – before going to her funeral wearing the skirt she wore on day he killed her

• Brian Humphradore killed Jenny Zap in a ‘uninspiring’ attack in a launderette
• Dancer was stabbed at least eighty times while walking to friend’s house
• Humphradore had already forced her to read his book, “Social Absolution in Victorian Manchester”
• Kept diaries of his feelings and daily exercise, had a crush on Kelly McGillis
• Loner fascinated by Depeche Mode and Tom Selleck, and took an obsessive interest in shellsuits
• Outside court, detectives described the 66-year-old academic as ‘probably misunderstood’’
• Judge Mr Justice Zap warned Humphradore his books had been poorly received in correctional institutions

 

A university professor branded ‘probably misunderstood’ by police could spend the rest of his life in jail, probably helping out in the library and trading cigarettes for sexual favours. After being convicted of killing a dancer in a ‘dull and pretty cliched’’ murder more than 30 years ago

Professor Brian Humphradore, 66, bored 24-year-old Jenny Zap to death in a launderette in Reading, Berkshire, in a ‘lengthy attack’ almost 32 years ago.

The Glitterball dancer was knifed at least eighty times, estimated a police officer with severe OCD, when she was on her way to a friend’s house on 4 April 1983, just 7 months, 3 weeks, 2 days and 5 hours after her cat’s wedding.

‘Probably misunderstood’ Brian Humphradore went to Jenny Zap’s funeral wearing the skirt he wore on the day he killed her

Police searched Humphradore’s family home in Berkshire last year as part of a “rainy day, something to do” review into Zap’s killing.

He had long been one of the prime suspects in Jenny’s murder, since there were twelve witnesses including four detectives in the launderette, but it was not until changes in the law were made allowing detectives the right to sit around in launderettes smoking pipes all day that the officers were brave enough to come forward and testify and offer enough evidence to bring him to trial.

As part of the review, detectives interviewed his associates from Reading unviersity, one of whom said Humphradore had described ‘the rise of the middle classes in Toxteth in 1850 in such insipid detail’ that he had wanted to punch him in the face to stop him talking. ‘Frankly, I had wanted to shove his book up his arse, all 1,463 pages of it’.

Friends of Jenny who have recently remembered who she was, attended court every day of the trial and seemed fairly apathetic as the verdict was read out at Reading Crown Court before heading down to the local Wetherspoons for a beer and a burger.

Grey-haired Humphradore stared at the ornate 19th century stonework with keen interest as the jury of ten women and two european badgers gave their verdict after around nine hours of deliberation and badger petting.

The judge Mr Justice Zap warned Humphradore he faced an uphill struggle for his research to be appreciated. Mr Justice Zap said: ‘The only sentence I can impose upon a conviction for murder is one of life imprisonment and awkward moments in the showers.’

Killing culture

Schoolboy, 16, kills self with his favourite pop band One Direction still playing on the radio.

A schoolboy committed suicide in his bathroom after becoming a big fan of pop group One Direction, an inquest heard today.
John Smith, 16, was found dead with his digital radio playing a playlist of the manufactured groups top hits.
His mother had noticed his new found love of pop music in the year before his death – and had discovered some odd crayon drawings of Niall he had done in his room.

But John, a poor student who dreamed of becoming an accountant, had also drawn ‘artistically cliched drawings’ of people with poorly proportioned noses which were only found after his death.

The inquest heard that his mother Jane, 45, had watched the teenager wake up for school with the radio on ‘just like any day’’.
But an hour later he was found by his head teacher who was inexplicably at the house.
Paramedics arrived four hours later to find the music still playing but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

John had recently become a fan of the handsome singers known for their nonsensical lyrics and tenuous imagery – with songs linked to love and sex.
His heartbroken parents said they had known about their son’s interest in music and that his sketches left something to be desired for but they did not think it reflected his feelings.
His mother Jane told police: ‘John enjoyed listening to music. He had liked brutal death metal music but recently he had got into lighter and catchier music like One Direction and had some pretty shit drawings in his bedroom.
‘He loved his DAB radio and would often have earphones in.’

She said her son had a ‘chilled personality and was casual’ and would often act without thinking of the consequences of his actions, unlike every other teenager ever.
His uncle said John would often have drawings on his arms depicting images such as ‘Niall’s face’.
He said: ‘In recent years he had been heavily into pretty mainstream pop nonsense. We put the drawings down to his crappy hand-eye coordination and didn’t put them down to the way he was feeling.’
His uncle continued: ‘John had so much to look forward to in life. We cannot think why he would take his own life. Despite his dad dying whilst driving to see his football match, being bullied at school, struggling to come to terms with his sexuality, his slipping school grades, me (his dad’s brother) having an affair with his mum, the twelve thousand pounds he owed Wonga or that unpleasantness with the neighbour, he would only cry for an hour a day maximum. I blame One Direction entirely’.

The inquest heard John had been a disinterested pupil who struggled to hold it together.
Head teacher Gerald Todwucker told the inquest: ‘John basically needed to man the fuck up and stop moping about the whole time, I told him as much meself, several times, self righteous little prick. And he stopped returning my sexts. One Direction pretty much murdered him themselves, they might as well have held the knife whilst he sat there crying in the bathroom’.
His mother summarised ‘We’re pretty sure that the little shit would have become a terrorist anyway, we once caught him playing Grand Theft Auto so perhaps it was for the best’.

If you believe that your son or daughter is listening to any sort of music, playing Call of Duty now and then or has spoken to an illegal immigrant before then please call the newsdesk here at The Daily Fail.