Stephen Waldorf
Encyclopedia
Stephen Waldorf was a 26-year-old film editor who was shot and severely injured by Metropolitan Police
officers in London, England on 14 January 1983, when he was mis-identified as an escaped prisoner, David Martin.
in which Stephens was sitting on the back seat, occasionally looking out of the rear window. The driver was Lester Purdey, and the front-seat passenger was freelance film editor Stephen Waldorf, who the police thought was Martin. When the Mini came to a stop due to rush hour
traffic congestion in Pembroke Road, Earls Court
, a detective was sent forward to confirm the identity of the front-seat passenger. The only one who knew Martin was Detective Constable Peter Finch, who had been one of the arresting officers when he was detained the previous September, so he approached the car along the pavement on foot with his revolver already drawn. Finch later said that at this point the driver glanced at him through the window, then said something to the passenger, who turned and reached toward the rear seat.
Finch opened fire, shooting twice at the passenger-side rear wheel of the Mini, then four times at Waldorf himself. Detective Constable John Jardine then ran up to the back of the Mini, and fired five shots at Waldorf through the rear window. During the shooting, Purdey jumped out of the car to escape, and Waldorf attempted to follow him, even though he had already been hit several times, and ended up slumped across the driver's seat. Detective Constable John Jardine then fired twice at Waldorf through the open driver's door. Finch, meanwhile, had made his way round to the driver's side, where he leaned into the car, aimed his revolver
between Waldorf's eyes and said, "Okay, cocksucker," before pulling the trigger. Finding that he had already used all his ammunition, Finch then pistol whipped
Waldorf until he lost consciousness.
Hit five times and severely wounded in his head, abdomen, and liver, the handcuffed and unconscious Waldorf was then hauled by his arms onto the pavement. Stephens, screaming and protesting, was also dragged from the vehicle. Stephens was taken to hospital and treated for injury.
Jardine and Finch stood trial for attempted murder and attempted wounding of Waldorf, but were cleared of all charges in October 1983. Waldorf eventually made a full recovery and was paid £150,000 compensation by the Metropolitan Police.
Open Fire
, a TV drama about David Martin and the shooting of Stephen Waldorf, was made by London Weekend Television
and shown on the ITV
network on 21 November 1994.
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
officers in London, England on 14 January 1983, when he was mis-identified as an escaped prisoner, David Martin.
Background
On 5 August 1982 David Martin was caught while breaking into a private cinema in Portman Close, in the West End of London; he was disguised as a security guard but he escaped by shooting his way out, severely wounding a police officer. A month later he was arrested at his last known home address in Crawford Place off Edgware Road, while disguised as a woman, but during a struggle drew two handguns before being shot in the neck by an armed police officer. On 24 December 1982 he escaped from a cell at Marlborough Street Magistrates Court, and went into hiding. The police were convinced that a Susan Stephens who Martin had met before his arrest, and had visited him in prison, was his girlfriend, so she was kept under surveillance. Police suspicions were reinforced when Martin telephoned Stephens several times, and they met to go to the cinema, and later for a meal, in the following weeks.The shooting
On the evening of 14 January 1983, police officers in unmarked cars were following a hired MiniMini
The Mini is a small car that was made by the British Motor Corporation and its successors from 1959 until 2000. The original is considered a British icon of the 1960s, and its space-saving front-wheel-drive layout influenced a generation of car-makers...
in which Stephens was sitting on the back seat, occasionally looking out of the rear window. The driver was Lester Purdey, and the front-seat passenger was freelance film editor Stephen Waldorf, who the police thought was Martin. When the Mini came to a stop due to rush hour
Rush hour
A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening, the times during when the most people commute...
traffic congestion in Pembroke Road, Earls Court
Earls Court
Earls Court is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It is an inner-city district centred on Earl's Court Road and surrounding streets, located 3.1 miles west south-west of Charing Cross. It borders the sub-districts of South Kensington to the East, West...
, a detective was sent forward to confirm the identity of the front-seat passenger. The only one who knew Martin was Detective Constable Peter Finch, who had been one of the arresting officers when he was detained the previous September, so he approached the car along the pavement on foot with his revolver already drawn. Finch later said that at this point the driver glanced at him through the window, then said something to the passenger, who turned and reached toward the rear seat.
Finch opened fire, shooting twice at the passenger-side rear wheel of the Mini, then four times at Waldorf himself. Detective Constable John Jardine then ran up to the back of the Mini, and fired five shots at Waldorf through the rear window. During the shooting, Purdey jumped out of the car to escape, and Waldorf attempted to follow him, even though he had already been hit several times, and ended up slumped across the driver's seat. Detective Constable John Jardine then fired twice at Waldorf through the open driver's door. Finch, meanwhile, had made his way round to the driver's side, where he leaned into the car, aimed his revolver
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
between Waldorf's eyes and said, "Okay, cocksucker," before pulling the trigger. Finding that he had already used all his ammunition, Finch then pistol whipped
Pistol-whipping
Pistol-whipping is the act of using a handgun as a blunt weapon, wielding it as if it were a club or blackjack. "Pistol-whipping" and "to pistol-whip" were reported as "new words" of American speech in 1955, with cited usages from 1940s...
Waldorf until he lost consciousness.
Hit five times and severely wounded in his head, abdomen, and liver, the handcuffed and unconscious Waldorf was then hauled by his arms onto the pavement. Stephens, screaming and protesting, was also dragged from the vehicle. Stephens was taken to hospital and treated for injury.
Aftermath
David Martin was rearrested shortly after the shooting. Sue Stephens had continued to be kept under police surveillance and she attended a restaurant in West End Lane, in North-West London, where she was seen to meet up with Martin, who had dyed his distinctive blond hair dark. He was challenged by police and ran into West Hampstead tube station and along the track where eventually he was arrested without incident. He was found guilty at Old Bailey of the attempted murder of PC Nicolas Carr and was sentenced to life in prison. He was alleged to have later committed suicide in his prison cell in 1984.Jardine and Finch stood trial for attempted murder and attempted wounding of Waldorf, but were cleared of all charges in October 1983. Waldorf eventually made a full recovery and was paid £150,000 compensation by the Metropolitan Police.
Open Fire
Open Fire (film)
Open Fire is a 1994 British television film made for ITV which debuted on that channel on 11 December 1994. The film was written and directed by Paul Greengrass and concerns the 1982/83 police manhunt for David Martin, who escaped from custody following his arrest for shooting a police officer...
, a TV drama about David Martin and the shooting of Stephen Waldorf, was made by London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television was the name of the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties including south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Warwickshire, east Dorset and...
and shown on the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
network on 21 November 1994.