Until I Kill You on ITV1 tells the real-life story of serial killer John Sweeney, who is currently in prison serving a life sentence after being found guilty of murdering two women and attempting to kill girlfriend Delia Balmer.
Sweeney admitted to killing Melissa Halstead after her torso was found in a canal in Amsterdam in 1990. The following year he met Delia Balmer and, after telling her of his crimes, she went to the police.
Catastrophic errors saw him released, though. And, as a result, he went on to attack Delia with a hammer and axe. Then, in 2000, Sweeney met and murdered Paula Fields, dumping her decapitated body in Regents Canal in London.
In 2011, after advances in DNA, he was finally jailed for life for the murders. However, according to his son Michael, the warning signs were there long before he met any of the women he so brutally killed.
Until I Kill You: Son of John Sweeney on traumatic childhood
Speaking about his childhood, Michael said Sweeney was never a good role model. In fact, he said that his mum Ann told him that as a baby Sweeney wouldn’t see his son “for days”. Instead, it’s claimed he “went off on a drink binge with friends”.
At the time, Sweeney lived with Ann in Skelmersdale, Lancashire. However, after his violent mood swings took their toll, the family ran away from him in a midnight flit to Northampton. Michael insisted that, due to his mum’s protection, Sweeney “never laid a finger on me or my sister Tracey”.
Ann got remarried and, Michael said, Sweeney would “occasionally turn up”. He said that, during the visits, he also met Melissa Halstead, Sweeney’s first victim. Michael said she once asked Ann if she “would mind” if they got married.
‘Why didn’t he kill my mum?’
Speaking to the Mirror back in 2011, Sweeney’s son Michael, now 48, revealed that his dad – who depicted his crimes in artwork – had given him a drawing of his mum Ann lying in a coffin.
At first, Michael thought it was just his dad being bitter after their relationship broke down. However, after learning of his dad’s crimes, Michael said that he has wondered “why he didn’t kill his mum”, too.
I didn’t want to be anywhere near him and I don’t want to see him again.
“When I saw the pencil drawing I said: ‘Is that Mum?’ He just said: ‘Yes,’ and went withdrawn. He hated my mum and I think he hated me because I was like her. I could see it was my mum straight away. It was so lifelike. It was like a photograph. I thought at the time it was strange but just a symbol of their bad relationship. Now I know he has killed I can’t help but wonder, why didn’t he kill my mum?”
Ann died in 2002, Michael shared.
‘Haunting’ final meeting
Michael said that the last time he saw his dad was in 2010, at the funeral of his father Jack. Michael was aged 15 at the time.
“He attended with four prison officers. He was quiet throughout. When we arrived at the crematorium my family said: ‘Michael say hello to your dad.’ I did as I was told but when we left they told me to say my goodbyes but I just walked away.
“I was getting into the limousine when he walked up to me and said: ‘Michael don’t make the same mistakes as I did!’ I said: ‘There’s no chance of that is there Dad!’ I turned my back and got in the car. I didn’t want to be anywhere near him and I don’t want to see him again. It was quite haunting that he was giving me sick parental advice after what he’d done.”
Michael said back in 2011 that he had “rebuilt” his life. He also added that he “doesn’t believe in genetics” and explained that he was “nothing like his dad”.
After Sweeney was imprisoned, Michael said that he never wanted to see him again. He added that he had “wiped” his dad “out of my life and my memory”.
Until I Kill You is on ITV tonight (November 5) and tomorrow at 9pm.
Read more: Where is Delia Balmer now as Until I Kill You airs on ITV1?
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The reunion took place at the funeral of Sweeney’s father
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