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The Hunt for Bible John

Series 1

Episode 1

Duration: 59 minutes

First broadcast: on BBC One Scotland HDLatest broadcast: on BBC Scotland HD

Available for 17 days

Two-part documentary exploring the 1968 case in which three women were killed after a night of dancing, triggering Scotland’s largest manhunt.

The suspect’s now-infamous moniker, Bible John, came after a key witness described a man who picked up women, yet quoted extensively from the Old Testament and frowned on adultery. Despite one of the biggest manhunts in Scottish history, these brutal killings remain unsolved more than 50 years on.

The first part of this two-part documentary begins in 1968 Glasgow. Far from the Swinging Sixties of London, Glasgow was in a state of disarray, with appalling living conditions in much of the city and many of the tenement slums being torn down. Life was hard, but Glaswegians had a lifeline in the form of the dance halls. Glasgow was known for being ‘dancing daft’ and boasted many of the country’s top dance halls. But given the city's numerous gangs and hard-drinking reputation, there was always a level of violence simmering beneath the surface.

Featuring testimony from some of the detectives and reporters who worked on and covered the case. Show less

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