top of page

Peter Manuel: Scotland’s “Beast of Birkenshaw”



The story of Peter Manuel, often dubbed the "Beast of Birkenshaw," is a haunting chapter in Scottish criminal history. Convicted of seven murders committed between 1956 and 1958, and strongly suspected of at least two more, Manuel’s spree of violence left a trail of fear and devastation across Lanarkshire and beyond. His crimes, marked by their brutality and cunning, were matched only by his audacious courtroom antics and chilling final moments. His execution in Glasgow's Barlinnie Prison in July 1958 marked the end of an era for Scotland, but the legacy of his actions remains etched in the nation’s collective memory.


A Troubled Beginning: The Early Life of Peter Manuel

Peter Thomas Anthony Manuel was born on 13 March 1927 in New York City to Scottish parents. His early life, however, was anything but stable. Seeking a better future, his parents moved the family from New York to Detroit, Michigan. But by 1932, during the throes of the Great Depression, the Manuels returned to Scotland, settling in the Lanarkshire village of Birkenshaw.



Manuel’s childhood in Scotland was fraught with difficulties. He was small for his age, frequently bullied, and often found himself isolated from his peers. This social rejection appeared to feed a growing resentment and a thirst for revenge that would later manifest in far darker ways. By the age of ten, he was already known to local police as a petty thief, marking the beginning of a lifelong relationship with law enforcement.


Manuel’s crimes quickly escalated. At just 16 years old, he was convicted of a series of sexual assaults, leading to a nine-year sentence at Peterhead Prison. During this time, his manipulative and self-serving nature began to surface. After his release, these traits would become more pronounced, as would his desire to outsmart authority. A chilling precursor to this occurred in 1955, when Manuel successfully defended himself in court against a rape charge in Airdrie. His performance, marked by intelligence and charisma, set the stage for his later self-representation in his murder trial.



Peter Manuel’s murderous rampage began in 1956 and plunged southern Scotland into a state of panic. His victims ranged from teenagers to entire families, and his methods of murder—ranging from shooting to bludgeoning—revealed a level of cold calculation.


The Murder of Anne Kneilands (1956)

On 2 January 1956, 17-year-old Anne Kneilands became Manuel’s first known victim. He followed her to East Kilbride golf course, where he raped her before bludgeoning her to death with a length of iron. Police questioned Manuel at the time, but he provided an alibi, supported by his father. It wasn’t until his arrest in 1958 that he confessed to the crime. However, the case was ultimately dropped due to insufficient evidence, leaving her murder unresolved during his trial.


The Watt Family Tragedy (1956)

In September 1956, Manuel committed one of his most infamous crimes when he broke into the Watt family home in Burnside, Lanarkshire. Armed with a revolver, he shot and killed Marion Watt, her 16-year-old daughter Vivienne, and Marion’s sister, Margaret Brown.

Margaret Brown, murdered by Peter Manuel at her home in High Burnside along with her sister Marion Watt and her niece Vivienne
Margaret Brown, murdered by Peter Manuel at her home in High Burnside along with her sister Marion Watt and her niece Vivienne

Initially, suspicion fell on Marion’s husband, William Watt, who was away on a fishing trip. Despite mounting circumstantial evidence—including eyewitness accounts suggesting he had driven home overnight to commit the murders—Watt was eventually cleared. However, the focus on Watt diverted police attention from Manuel, who evaded capture.



The Murder of Sydney Dunn (1957)

In December 1957, Manuel travelled to Newcastle upon Tyne, ostensibly to look for work. There, he murdered 36-year-old taxi driver Sydney Dunn. Dunn’s body was found on remote moorland in County Durham, but Manuel was never formally tried for the crime, as it fell outside Scottish jurisdiction. A coroner’s jury later linked him to the murder based on evidence, including a button from Manuel’s jacket found in Dunn’s taxi.


The Murder of Isabelle Cooke (1957)

On 28 December 1957, 17-year-old Isabelle Cooke vanished while walking to a dance at her school in Uddingston. Manuel abducted, raped, and strangled her before burying her body in a nearby field. In a grim display of control, he later led police to the burial site, boasting of his knowledge.

In December 1957, 17-year-old Isabelle Cooke was stalked, raped and strangled as she walked to a dance in Uddingston, Lanarkshire
In December 1957, 17-year-old Isabelle Cooke was stalked, raped and strangled as she walked to a dance in Uddingston, Lanarkshire


The site where the body of 17-year-old Isabelle Cooke was buried after she was strangled by Peter Manuel. The photograph was take on 16/1/1958.
The site where the body of 17-year-old Isabelle Cooke was buried after she was strangled by Peter Manuel. The photograph was take on 16/1/1958.

The Smart Family Murders (1958)

Manuel’s final and most chilling crime occurred on New Year’s Day 1958, when he murdered Peter Smart, his wife Doris, and their 10-year-old son Michael in their Uddingston home. After shooting the family, Manuel remained in the house for several days, eating their food and even feeding the family cat. He then stole cash and the family car, which he used to drive around Glasgow, even offering a ride to a police officer investigating Isabelle Cooke’s disappearance.

Manuel murdered an entire family including 10-year-old Michael Smart (seen right) and his parents Peter and Doris (seen left) in 1958. He then lived in their house for a week with their bodies


Manuel’s Arrest and Trial

Manuel’s arrogance proved to be his undoing. Police traced stolen banknotes from the Smart household to him, leading to his arrest on 14 January 1958. Though he initially protested, he soon confessed to eight murders, providing details only the killer could know.

Peter Manuel arrives at the High Court in Glasgow.
Peter Manuel arrives at the High Court in Glasgow.

His trial at Glasgow High Court in May 1958 was one of the most sensational in Scottish history. In a dramatic move, Manuel dismissed his legal team and represented himself. His courtroom performance was marked by both intelligence and audacity, as he cross-examined witnesses and sought to sow doubt about his guilt. However, the evidence was overwhelming, and the jury convicted him of seven murders. The charge for Anne Kneilands’ murder was dropped due to insufficient evidence.



Execution and Legacy

On 11 July 1958, Peter Manuel was executed at Barlinnie Prison by hangman Harry Allen. His last words reportedly were: "Turn up the radio, and I’ll go quietly." He was the second-to-last person executed at the prison, and his death marked the end of a terrifying chapter in Scotland’s history.

Manuel’s crimes and trial exposed flaws in Scotland’s criminal justice system, particularly in the handling of investigations and the reliance on eyewitness testimony. The case also contributed to calls for the creation of a unified Scottish police force, which was finally established in 2013.

 

Comments


bottom of page