Dennis Nilsen's First Victim: Full Story (2025)

When the discovery of human flesh blocking the drains of an address in London led to the arrest of 37-year-old civil servant Dennis Nilsen, police were staggered when he calmly told them he had killed at least 15 young men. At the time, Nilsen would go down in history as Britain's most prolific serial killer, and as police interviewed the matter-of-fact Scot, they uncovered the extraordinary story of a man obsessed with death since childhood. The lonely job centre executive would strangle his victims and keep their corpses for company, sitting them in chairs, talking to them and watching television with them, before butchering, burning or boiling the body parts. Was Dennis Nilsen's obsession with death fused during his childhood? Or, was his instinct to kill hard-wired from birth? Subscribe to True Lives: https://bit.ly/3dBMxvl This film was first broadcast: 27 Feb 2012 Check us out on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OurStoriesChannel Watch More Documentaries True Lives - https://bit.ly/3A8xRMJ Our History - https://bit.ly/3rUpdhL Our World - https://bit.ly/3ftuckM Our Stories - https://bit.ly/3ynfFyk Taste - bit.ly/3OZoDcV Our Life brings you fascinating stories of social interest from around the world. You can discover award winning documentaries, films and groundbreaking reports that capture the complexities of our daily life, with stories that will entertain, inspire and inform. Content distributed by ITV Studios. #documentary #crime #truecrime #truelives

"Born To Kill?" double episode: Join us as we unravel the shocking cases of Dennis Nilsen, Britain's most prolific murderer, and David Berkowitz, famously known as the Son of Sam. Ep 1 - Discover the dark secrets of Dennis Nilsen's lonely upbringing in Scotland and his disturbing descent into murder. Learn about his modus operandi and the shocking revelation that shook Britain to its core. Ep 2 - Explore the gritty streets of 1970s New York City as we uncover the terrifying reign of terror orchestrated by David Berkowitz. From cryptic letters to his claimed connection with demonic forces, this case will send shivers down your spine. Instagram - @realstoriesdocs Content licensed from TwoFour Broadcast. Any queries, please contact us at: owned-enquiries@littledotstudios.com

Scottish civil servant Dennis Nilsen wanted male companionship but couldn't deal with anyone's emotions but his own. Serial killing solved the problem. Known as Muswell Hill Murderer, all of Nilsen's murders were committed in the two North London addresses in which he resided between 1978 and 1983. His victims would be lured to these addresses through guile and killed by strangulation, sometimes accompanied by drowning. Born To Kill? is a British true crime television series. Each episode is an in-depth look at the childhood, and formative years of serial killers in an attempt to find out whether the individuals were born killers, or created by the environments they found themselves in. Make sure you subscribe to get your regular crime fix: youtube.com/c/RealCrime From Born to Kill? Content licensed from TwoFour to Little Dot Studios. Any queries, please contact us at: owned-enquiries@littledotstudios.com

Dennis Nilsen, one of the UK’s most notorious serial killers, was convicted in 1983 for the murders of at least 15 young men over a five-year period. His crimes shocked the nation due to their brutality and the way he concealed the bodies. In this video, we focus on the very beginning of his killing spree — the story of his first victim, how it happened, and how it set the horrifying pattern that followed. This is the programme 'Countdown to Murder'. Make sure you subscribe to get your regular crime fix: youtube.com/c/RealCrime Real Crime On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0JLjqhHBRN8qMTGKikm97B?si=Fnshg5sfSxmljxiW7wJrZg Any queries, please contact us at: owned-enquiries@littledotstudios.com #truecrime #realcrime #crime