Where is John Sweeney now? Serial killer in Until I Kill You

Until I Kill You

He was released on bail, which resulted in another incident, and the criminal vanished for six years, using various false names to avoid being caught.

Until I Kill You - Figure 1
Photo Radio Times

When discussing the series and his role, Evans remarked, "The narrative spans roughly 15 to 20 years, focusing on a woman named Delia Balmer. It essentially explores her experiences as she becomes a victim of manipulative behavior, emotional manipulation, domestic violence, and abuse in one of her personal relationships."

In the end, she was disappointed by the legal system, which only turned to her for help when they needed her to support their case against the suspect. That’s the main idea of the story.

So, what became of John Sweeney and where is he currently? Keep reading to discover more.

Shaun Evans portrays John Sweeney in "Until I Kill You." ITV.

John Sweeney is currently serving multiple life sentences for trying to kill Delia Balmer, as well as for the murders of Melissa Halstead and Paula Fields.

Sweeney was finally taken into custody in 2001 for a brutal assault on Balmer that occurred in 1994. Balmer narrowly escaped Sweeney's violent attack, which involved an axe and a knife, thanks to a neighbor who intervened and confronted Sweeney, causing him to flee the scene.

During those six years, Sweeney used various fake names to stay out of the police's grasp, but he was finally caught after being connected to Paula Fields, a 31-year-old woman whose headless body was discovered in London's Regent's Canal in 2001.

At that point, there was no proof connecting him to Fields, but he was still wanted for the attempted murder of Balmer. After she testified in court, Sweeney was declared guilty and sentenced to serve four life terms.

During his time in Gartree Prison in Leicestershire for the attack on Balmer, Sweeney was interrogated regarding Fields and his former girlfriend Melissa Halstead, whose remains were discovered in a canal in Rotterdam in 1990.

Until I Kill You - Figure 2
Photo Radio Times

By providing your information, you are accepting our terms and conditions as well as our privacy policy. You have the option to unsubscribe whenever you wish.

In February 2010, authorities connected the murders of Fields and Halstead, leading to Sweeney's arrest. When he was taken into custody, police discovered a number of unsettling artworks in his prison cell at Gartree. Additionally, they uncovered around 300 more pieces of art, along with poetry and weapons, at his residence in North London.

In 2011, he received a life sentence for the murders, with Judge Mr. Justice Saunders remarking at that time: "These were brutal and heinous acts. The victims' heads were severed, making it difficult to determine the exact manner of their deaths. The disfigurement of the bodies significantly intensifies the gravity of these crimes."

He continued, "This not only shows how ruthless the murderer is, but it has also intensified the pain for the families who are aware that some parts of their loved ones' bodies are still missing."

I'm not certain about the reasons behind the murders, but I firmly believe that this defendant exerts significant control over his interactions with women. Disturbingly, it seems that this control even includes the power to determine if they live or die.

Shaun Evans portrays John Sweeney, while Anna Maxwell Martin takes on the role of Delia Bahmer in "Until I Kill You." Image credit: ITV/World Productions.

Sweeney, opting to stay in his prison cell at Belmarsh instead of attending the sentencing hearing, was handed an additional 10-year sentence for obstructing justice.

During the trial, Sweeney repeatedly claimed he wasn’t involved in the murders. However, the jury learned that he would resort to violence whenever women turned him down. This was illustrated by the disturbing artwork he created.

Balmer claimed that Sweeney admitted to her that he was responsible for Halstead's murder. He explained that he had returned to their apartment in Amsterdam and discovered her with two other men. Sweeney allegedly said that he shot all three of them and then got rid of their bodies by placing them in the canal, although no other remains have been found.

During Sweeney's sentencing, the Metropolitan Police were actively searching for three additional women who might have connections to him, believed to be former girlfriends.

Detective Chief Inspector Howard Groves, who was in charge of the investigation, mentioned at the time: "As he considers the prospect of spending his life in prison, I want to emphasize that our inquiry will carry on as we aim to find and locate other possible victims in the UK, the Netherlands, and other parts of Europe who may have experienced a fate similar to Melissa and Paula."

"Until I Kill You" is set to broadcast on ITV1 and ITVX starting Sunday, November 3rd, through Wednesday, November 6th, at 9 PM on ITV1.

Explore additional content about Drama or head over to our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's currently airing. To hear more from your favorite television stars, tune into The Radio Times Podcast.

Read more
Similar news
This week's most popular news