Roger Panes was a cattle dealer in Andover, Hampshire, England. In November 1973 Roger 41, his wife Pamela 39 and their three children Graham 7, Adrian 4 and Angela 6 were all members of the Exclusive Brethren.

As a direct result of harsh Exclusive Brethren discipline, Roger Panes killed his wife and three young children before hanging himself on March 4th, 1974. It remains one of the most senseless and unnecessary murder suicides on record and is entirely due to the way that the Exclusive Brethren demand total and complete control over individuals.

In November 1973, Roger Panes made ‘an error’. He acted on his own without asking permission from other Exclusive Brethren leaders and ‘shut up’ (EB-speak for ‘shunning’) another member. History proves that the Exclusive Brethren insist upon complete control and react instinctively toward those who dare to think for themselves or act as individuals. In this case, the leaders immediately turned on Roger and suddenly in November 1973, Roger Panes was himself ‘shut up’.

“Roger Panes was shut up during November 1973, because of the way he treated another member of the brethren over a minor technical offence, and shut up that person wilfully.”

“He shut up that person wrongly. That was not right. It was contrary to the accepted code and violations of the Divine Principles involved in the Brethren.”

“This ‘shutting up’ was carried out by Mr. Panes without the consent of other members of the brethren.”

“Between November and February, members of the brethren had called on Mr. Panes five or six times but the matter had not been resolved.”

– George Fennell, EB leader in Andover (from Detective notes)

Mr. Graham Fennell [note - called George Fennell in Press cutting] of Barlow’s Lane, Andover, UK, was described to the Court as a “responsible member” of the Brethren.

Feb 21, 1974 – Mrs. Panes contacted Mr. Fennell to tell him that her husband had taken an overdose of tablets and had been admitted to hospital.

March 2, 1974 – a meeting was held by the Brethren but no decision was taken to “withdraw from him or excommunicate him.”

“The term “shut up” meant that all other Brethren were not allowed to associate with the member concerned or his family.

“If it is mutually agreed between him and his wife, he can be shut up from them (his family) — that is to say he is cut off from the rest of his family within his own household.”

“This meant he did not sleep with his wife or eat with the rest of his family.”

– Detective Chief Inspector Stanley Atkinson at the inquest

Dr. Vanessa Heath, from Winchester Hospital, said that when Mr. Panes was admitted with a drug overdose she asked his wife why he had taken it. “She told me it was a matter between him and God. She would offer no further explanation.”

March 5, 1974 – a Post Office engineer called to fix the phone in the Panes’ home in Salisbury Road, Andover. He found Mr. Panes hanging from the bannister with a length of electric wire round his neck. He immediately called the police.

When police arrived they found Mrs. Pamela Panes hacked to death by an axe in the front bedroom. The children, Graham, aged seven, Adrian, four, and Angela, aged six, were found in other rooms, all killed by axe wounds.

Det. Chief Insp. Stanley Atkinson, head of Basingstoke CID, told the inquest at Andover that he found Mrs. Panes lying in a double bed in a front upstairs bedroom in the house. She had severe head injuries. The children were found with similar injuries in other bedrooms.

In another bedroom a blood stained axe with a seven and a half inch blade was found. Also in the room was a bed which had been prepared but not slept in.

In Mr. Panes trousers, found neatly placed in his bedroom was a note which said:

“There’s never been such a wicked man. This house will have to be left empty or bulldozed. You go to the Brethren. I trust they will take you in. “Cry to God for mercy for you all and the dear children. The Lord is coming very soon.”

The story of horror was told to an inquest in Andover, UK, with more than 150 members of the local Exclusive Brethren in the public benches.

They heard Detective Chief Inspector Stanley Atkinson tell how, when they cast out 41-year-old Roger Panes from their group, the anguish was more than he could bear.

The jury returned a verdict that Roger Panes murdered his wife and three children and then committed suicide while the balance of his mind was disturbed.

In his summing up to the jury Mr. Ronald Bowker, the coroner, said:

“It is up to anyone in this country to follow such religious beliefs as he pleases, without question. The only qualification I suppose one would make is if such beliefs are thought to be injurious to the community as a whole or individuals in particular.”

“These might be matters for inquiry, but matters for inquiry elsewhere and not here.”

As a footnote, a press commentary at the time perhaps headed toward an explanation:

The Exclusive Brethren is notorious for the severity of its discipline and was ruled with an iron hand by its world leader, Big Jim Taylor, until his death in 1970.

– ‘Words that spelt death’ by Jack Hill

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