In a shocking case from 1996, 74-year-old widow Alice Rye was brutally murdered and mutilated in her home by police informant Kevin Morrison, who sought to extract her bank details.

The horrific crime took place on December 10, 1996, at Rye's residence in Wirral, where Morrison bound, gagged, and sexually assaulted her before stabbing her in the chest. After she died, he grotesquely placed a knife in each of her eye sockets. Morrison had reportedly studied the electoral register to identify vulnerable women living alone.

In an unexpected turn, nearly a year and a half later, Morrison approached police, claiming he had information about the murder and tried to implicate an associate. However, Liverpool Crown Court would later reveal the truth during Morrison's trial in July 1999, where a jury took only three hours to convict him.

Morrison was sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum term of 18 years before becoming eligible for parole. The prosecutor described the crime as "brutal", "wicked", and "horrific".

Alice Rye was known for her privacy and philanthropy, actively participating in her local church. Her vicar described her as "a popular lady – elegant, dignified, a woman of poise". Morrison stalked her, meticulously preparing for the attack, and used deception to gain entry into her home, claiming to be on official business.

After the crime, Rye's body was discovered by a neighbor the following day. Despite the brutality of the murder, police faced challenges in identifying the killer, and the case initially went cold. It wasn't until Morrison, acting as a police informant, attempted to share unpublicized details about the case that investigators became suspicious.

Upon searching a lock-up he rented, police found a pair of women's knickers with Morrison's DNA, which he claimed to have purchased for his daughter. However, forensic evidence indicated the DNA belonged to Ms. Rye, with a probability of one in 69 million for it not being her.

Morrison attempted to deflect blame during the trial, alleging that a friend committed the murder, but the evidence pointed squarely at him. When delivering the verdict, Mr. Justice Brown condemned Morrison's actions as "wicked" and "cruel".

Though Morrison was ordered to serve a minimum of 18 years, he attempted to appeal for early parole in 2013. However, Mrs Justice Thirlwall rejected his bid, citing the severity of his crime and stating that if sentenced today, he would face a minimum of 20 years.