The McKay Kidnapping

One of the largest teams of detectives for such an enquiry was pulled together at Wimbledon police station. Meanwhile Alick, his daughter Diane and her husband appealed to the kidnappers on national television.On New Year’s Day the kidnappers called once again asking for £1 million and dismissing Alick’s pleas that he could not raise that amount of money. In desperation he asked an old friend, Eric Cutler, to fly to Utrecht to consult a Dutch clairvoyant who had helped police solve other crimes.

"Natural Mystic"

Gerard Croiset told Cutler that Muriel could be found in a white farmhouse in the north or northeast of London. Nearby to where Muriel was being held was another farm and a disused aerodrome and that if she was not found within 14 days, she would be dead.While police searched locally, others scoured the Hertfordshire and Essex borders, but found nothing.More calls demanding the money came, but no instructions as how to deliver it. In an attempt to motivate the kidnappers into giving instructions, the McKay’s doctor went on television claiming that Muriel needed urgent medication and if she did not receive it, she could die.

On 1 February, the kidnappers called the McKays' son, Ian, and instructed him to bring £500,000 to a crossroads on the A10. A police officer went in his place, but the kidnappers suspected an ambush and did not appear at the meeting point.

A new ransom exchange was arranged for 6 February. The kidnappers instructed Alick McKay and his daughter to deliver the money in two suitcases. Detectives again took their places, with another officer hidden in the boot of the car.

The McKays were instructed to travel by Underground to Epping, where they would receive a telephone call directing them to take a taxi to Bishop's Stortford and leave the money opposite a minivan near a garage before returning to Epping. However, someone unaware of the operation reported the suitcases to the local police.

A Volvo was repeatedly seen driving past the suitcases, and its registration number led police to 34-year-old Arthur Hosein of Rook's Farm in Stocking Pelham, on the Hertfordshire–Essex border. Hosein's fingerprints matched those found on the ransom demands. Police searched the farm for several weeks but found no trace of Muriel McKay or any evidence of what had happened to her.

Police became convinced that Muriel McKay was dead and charged the Hosein brothers with her murder.

During the trial at the Old Bailey on 14th September 1970, the Hosein brothers blamed each other, but neither confessed. Arthur Hosein was sentenced to life imprisonment and 25 years for kidnapping, 14 years for blackmail and 10 years for sending threatening letters. Nissan Hosein received the same sentencing, except for 10 years less on the kidnap charge.To this day, no one knows what happened to Muriel McKay, except her killers.