FATAL FRIENDS
Who was Gary Pocock in C5’s A Killer Makes a Call and how did he die?
Gary Pocock sustained horrific injuries in the brutal assault
A SPINE-CHILLING Channel 5 series reveals the sinister calls placed by killers themselves.
Gary Pocock was lured to his death in 2013 and is now the subject of the documentary, A Killer Makes A Call.
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Who was Gary Pocock?
Gary Pocock, from Dagenham, east London, was bludgeoned and kicked to death while on holiday at Leysdown.
The 34-year-old caretaker was lured to a deserted beach by a gang he believed were his friends.
On August 7, 2013, Pocock was killed by the group and tossed out into the water.
Gary reportedly had two children and a partner at the time.
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Not much else is known about the victim.
A neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, said the community was saddened by his death.
He said: “I heard the commotion outside on Friday. I couldn’t believe it.
"He was a quiet bloke – very friendly and smiley.
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"He would always stop for a chat. Everyone is in a bit of a shock.”
Another neighbour added: “He was a lovely chap – a harmless fella.”
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How did Gary Pocock die?
The brutal murder of Gary on the Isle of Sheppey in August 2013 was a shocking crime that could have gone unsolved if not for a series of crucial events and investigations.
He was stripped, punched, stamped on and beaten with such force that one of the bats snapped in half during the frenzied midnight attack.
Pocock suffered 62 devastating blows to his head, face and body.
After the assault, the perpetrators attempted to conceal their crime by dragging Pocock's lifeless body into the water, hoping it would be taken out to sea.
However, an amateur metal detectorist discovered the body the following morning, as it had been washed back onto the shore by the incoming tide.
The investigation began with little to go on.
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Police cordoned off the beach and set up an incident room, but the victim's identity remained a mystery.
The only clue was a distinctive silver signet ring in the shape of a dragon with red eyes found near the body.
This ring would prove crucial when Mark Terry, in an attempt to misdirect the investigation, contacted the police claiming he suspected the victim was his friend, Gary.
Terry's involvement didn't end there.
In a calculated move to appear innocent, he callously agreed to be filmed by BBC TV near the exact spot where the vicious attack had taken place.
He even participated in an emotional interview as he, his wife Lisa and son Matthew laid flowers on the sand.
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Despite these attempts at deception, the police remained suspicious.
Through meticulous investigation, including reviewing hours of CCTV footage both on Sheppey and in London, they were able to unravel the truth.
One particularly damning piece of evidence was CCTV footage that captured one of the suspects apparently cheering as he left the scene of the murder.
A precious life has been lost and Mr Pocock is genuinely and deeply mourned by his partner, Wendy Polley, and his close friends.
Judge Jeremy Carey
The case concluded with the conviction of five individuals. Mark Terry, 44, his son Matthew Terry, 21, Christopher Bones, 21, and Ritchie Zborowski, 16, were all jailed for life for the killing after a 10-week trial at Maidstone Crown Court.
Jamie West, 19, was convicted of manslaughter and given seven years in youth custody after his fingerprint was found on one of the murder weapons.
The motive for this horrific crime was allegedly a punishment attack based on an unverified claim of sexual assault.
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The judge in the case condemned this, stating it was "grotesque" that Gary should have been murdered on the basis of nothing more than an unsubstantiated allegation.
Judge Jeremy Carey said: "A precious life has been lost and Mr Pocock is genuinely and deeply mourned by his partner, Wendy Polley, and his close friends whose expressions of shock and distress are movingly set out in Anthony Pocock's (brother) impact statement."
How to watch A Killer Makes A Call?
The one-hour programme, available to view free on the catch-up channel My5, reconstructs the investigation using TV footage and interviews with key figures.
It features insights from Kent Police's detective chief inspector Jon Clayden, detective sergeant Alastair Worton, and detective superintendent Gavin Moss.
Criminologist Dr. Honor Doro Townshend and journalists Jeff Edwards and John Nurden also take part.
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The Sheppey story is episode six of the series.
A Killer Makes A Call airs on Channel 5 on August 13, 2024, at 10pm.
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