Robert Black 21 April — 12 January was a Scottish serial killer and paedophile who was convicted of the kidnap , rape and murder of four girls aged between 5 and 11 in a series of crimes committed between and in the United Kingdom. Black was convicted of the kidnapping, rape, and murder of three girls on 19 May He was also convicted of the kidnapping of a fourth girl and had earlier been convicted of the kidnapping and sexual assault of a fifth.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment , with a recommendation that he serve a minimum of 35 years. In , Black was further convicted of the sexual assault and murder of nine-year-old Jennifer Cardy.
At the time of his death in , he was regarded as the prime suspect in the disappearance and murder of year-old Genette Tate. Black may also have been responsible for several other unsolved child murders throughout Britain, Ireland, and continental Europe between and The nationwide manhunt for Black was one of the most exhaustive British murder investigations of the 20th century.
He died of a heart attack at HMP Maghaberry in aged Robert Black was born in Grangemouth , Stirlingshire , on 21 April , the illegitimate child of Jessie Hunter Black and an unknown father.
His mother originally planned to have him adopted before she emigrated to Australia to escape the stigma of his birth.
