GRIMSBY CHILD KILLER DOUGLAS BLASTLAND DIES IN PRISON FROM COVID-19
The tragic and disturbing story of Douglas Blastland, a convicted child murderer and sex offender from Grimsby, took a somber turn as it was confirmed that he died in prison due to complications from Covid-19.Blastland, who was responsible for the death of a 12-year-old boy from Gainsborough, passed away while serving two life sentences for his heinous crimes.
Born in Grimsby, Douglas Blastland spent part of his childhood on the Nunsthorpe Estate, a well-known area in the town.
As a young boy, he was photographed in 1960 alongside his three siblings on Shelley Avenue.
His early years were marked by a seemingly normal upbringing, but his later actions would cast a long shadow over his life and the community.
In 1977, Blastland's criminal activities came to public attention when he was convicted of four separate sexual assaults involving young boys aged between 11 and 13.
The attacks occurred in various locations, including People’s Park in Grimsby, where two of the victims were assaulted.
During the trial at Leicester Crown Court, Blastland, then 19 years old and working as a butcher in Grimsby, received a five-year prison sentence.
The court found him guilty of two counts of gross indecency and two counts of attempted gross indecency.
The victims, all boys, were rushed to hospital following their assaults.
Despite his conviction and sentence, Blastland was released from prison in July 1980.
However, his criminal tendencies did not end there.
Just two years later, in December 1982, he committed another grave offense in Gainsborough.
On that evening, Karl Fletcher, a 12-year-old boy and student at Middlefield School, left his home around 6 pm after an argument with his mother.
That was the last time Karl was seen alive.
At the time, Blastland, aged 25 and working as a baker on Thurlby Road, was living in Gainsborough.
Court proceedings later revealed that Blastland had met Karl near the area where the boy’s body was eventually discovered.
Blastland admitted to having paid Karl for sexual acts but denied any involvement in his murder.
Tragically, Karl Fletcher’s body was found face down on wasteland off Thorndike Way the following morning.
A post-mortem examination revealed that Karl had been subjected to a brutal sexual assault and was strangled to death with his own Nottingham Forest football scarf.
Blastland was subsequently convicted of Karl Fletcher’s murder and sexual assault, receiving two life sentences with a minimum term of 22 years, which was later increased to 25 years.
The Fletcher family endured immense pain, compounded by Blastland’s repeated attempts to appeal his conviction and seek parole, prolonging their suffering.
In recent developments, a report from the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman disclosed that despite being classified as high risk during the Covid-19 pandemic, Blastland chose not to shield himself from the virus.
Last year, an outbreak of Covid-19 occurred within his prison wing, and Blastland tested positive.
He was found to be experiencing severe difficulty in breathing and mobility, prompting an ambulance call.
At the hospital, medical staff discovered that Blastland’s blood oxygen levels had plummeted to 61 percent.
He was admitted to intensive care, placed on a ventilator, and placed into a medically induced coma.
Despite intensive treatment, his condition deteriorated, and hospital staff eventually initiated end-of-life care, withdrawing medication and ventilation support.
His death was officially confirmed at 12:09 pm.
No post-mortem examination was conducted, as the hospital doctor’s certification attributed his death to multiple organ failure caused by Covid-19 pneumonitis.
His pre-existing conditions, including diabetes and high blood pressure, contributed to his decline but were not deemed the primary cause of death.
Douglas Blastland’s death marks the end of a long and tragic chapter for the families affected by his crimes, and it underscores the ongoing concerns about the management of high-risk inmates during the pandemic.
