California Department of Corrections and RehabilitationInfamous mass murderer and cult leader Charles Manson has died aged 83.
Manson was rushed to hospital in Bakersfield and according to TMZ received treatments while escorted by five uniformed police officers.
Manson’s health had been steadily deteriorating for some time. In January he was hospitalised for severe intestinal bleeding and although it was found he needed surgery, he was deemed too weak by doctors and sent back to prison.
PA ImagesThe cruel leader of the so-called Manson family was convicted of killing actress Sharon Tate and six other people back in August 1969 while on a bloody killing spree in Los Angeles.
Sharon Tate’s brutal murder left the world shocked as she was stabbed 16 times while 8 1/2 months pregnant. As ‘the family left the word ‘pig’ daubed on her front door.
Manson and his group allegedly committed the murders in an attempt to start an apocalyptic race war that he termed ‘the Helter Skelter’, a term he took from the Beatles’ song of the same name.
GettySince being imprisoned in 1971 – he was originally sentenced to death but got a reprieve when the death sentence was abolished in California – Manson has had ‘hundreds’ of rules violations and has been caught with a mobile phone and a number of homemade weapons.
Manson’s crimes saw him become something of a morbid pop-culture icon and his trademark swastika tattoo in the middle of his brow has become synonymous with the evil killer.
Before his terrible crimes Manson enjoyed extremely limited success as a musician through a chance association with Beach Boys founder Dennis Wilson, since his incarceration though a number of musicians have covered his music.
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.