Sunderland-born rapist and sex offender nicknamed ‘The Fox’ dies in prison

A Sunderland-born rapist and sex offender nicknamed ‘The Fox’ has died in prison.

Malcolm Fairley, 72, was from Sunderland and also lived in Peterlee, County Durham. He committed 81 offences, including burglaries, rapes and serious sexual assaults, in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire in 1984 and was sentenced to six life sentences in 1985.

HM Prison and Probation Service has now confirmed that Fairley died at HMP Hull on May 28.

Read more: Crazy burglar and rapist nicknamed “The Fox” was partly recognized by his northeastern accent 40 years ago Stay up to date with the latest news and top stories from the North East with our free newsletter

He was nicknamed “The Fox” because he would break into his victims’ homes and build dens before fleeing through the countryside. He would also prepare and eat meals, watch television, and collect trophies from his victims before committing the crimes while wearing a mask and brandishing a shotgun.

In response to the attacks, police sent hundreds of officers to search for him. It became one of the largest manhunts in the country. The extensive manhunt was named Operation Peanut and ended up costing Bedfordshire Police hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Officers were able to narrow down the search for “The Fox” using two key pieces of information: Fairley’s north-eastern accent and the unique yellow color of his Austin Allegro. After police tracked him down, he was caught and convicted at St. Albans Crown Court in 1985.

Fairley was released in 2000 and has applied for parole three times. The parole board reviewed his case in October 2018, July 2022 and October 2023, but each time denied his release from prison.

Fairley’s crimes were recently covered in a recent Channel 5 documentary called The Intruder: He’s Watching You from the Inside, which aired last month.

A spokesman for HM Prison & Probation Service said: “Malcolm Fairley died at HMP Hull on 28 May. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has been informed.”