Man jailed for murdering wife, children 27 years ago

AN “evil” husband protested his innocence as he was jailed yesterday for murdering his wife and children 27 years ago.

Anthony John Allen, 68, of South Western Crescent, Poole, Dorset, was convicted after a 12-day trial at Exeter Crown Court of murdering his 39-year-old wife Patricia, seven-year- old son Jonathan and five-year-old daughter Victoria when they all lived in Salcombe, south Devon, in 1975.

The bodies of his family have never been found, and Mr Justice Steel told silver-haired Allen that he had kept a "terrible secret."