Man who murdered pregnant wife given more jail time over cover-up bid

Griggs reported Debbie, who was 43 at the time, missing from their family home in Cross Road, Deal, in May 1999.

Days later, her car – a white Peugeot 309 – was discovered abandoned just over a mile away.

Debbie's blood was discovered inside the vehicle, yet no further signs of the nurse were found; her bank accounts remained untouched, and there were no interactions with the health service or social security, leaving a baffling case for the police.

Detectives from the original investigation faced challenges in ascertaining Debbie’s fate. It wasn't until 2019 that Griggs – who had by then remarried and resettled in Dorset – faced charges and trial for the murder of his wife and disposal of her body.

During the trial, prosecuting barrister Duncan Atkinson KC emphasised that hiding Debbie’s remains constituted "the most aggravating factor" in the crime.

Jurors found Griggs, a former sailor, guilty in October 2019, with the judge accusing him of dumping Debbie's body at sea.

Despite his conviction and imprisonment, the couple's three boys – who were six, four, and just 18 months old at the time of their mother's disappearance – persisted in believing their father’s innocence, holding onto a shred of hope that their mother might still be alive. Griggs sought to have his conviction overturned, but his appeal was dismissed in July 2022.

Shockingly, just three months after his appeal failed, investigators unearthed Debbie's remains buried in the garden of the Dorset house Griggs had moved to with his sons. Prompted by information provided by his son Jake, who had met with Griggs in prison, specialist police officers and personnel dug up the grounds of the property.

Following Griggs' instructions, they excavated beneath the concrete base of what was once a lean-to shed and unearthed a barrel-shaped container wrapped in blue tarpaulin.

Inside were human remains later identified as Debbie's.

Also found within the container were a pillowcase and duvet, men's and women's clothing, and the lining of a car boot.

When questioned about the discovery, Griggs chose not to respond but issued a pre-prepared statement asserting his innocence in Debbie's death.

He claimed that he discovered a body in a container in someone else's garden, which he presumed was Debbie, approximately two years after reporting her missing.

He stated that he panicked, encased the container in fibreglass, and someone else buried it. Although he suspected it was under his garden shed, he wasn't certain.

At an inquest in March 2023, her family were informed that the cause of her death would likely remain unknown.

The brief hearing revealed that a post-mortem examination classified her death as unascertained due to decomposition.

After murdering his first wife, Griggs married another woman, also named Debbie.

Despite everything, she has pledged to support him, insisting she does not believe he is guilty.

The 60 year old regularly makes the four-hour round trip from her home near the New Forest village of St Leonards to visit her husband at HMP Albany on the Isle of Wight.

Following Griggs' latest conviction, Det Chf Insp Neil Kimber of Kent Police commented: "Debbie Griggs was a devoted mother whose love for her three children was never in doubt, and it is inconceivable that she would have ever walked out on them.

"Her husband Andrew has known this ever since he first reported her missing, by which point he had already brutally murdered Debbie and hidden her body.

"He then continued to lie and manipulate others even after her remains were eventually discovered, making up further ridiculous stories that are an insult to Debbie's memory and to everyone who continues to mourn her loss.

"The fact he asked a family member to dig up her remains shows what a callous and selfish person he is, sparing little to no thought as to the deeply devastating effect such an act would likely have on that person.

"Andrew Griggs is already serving a life sentence for Debbie's murder but our investigation into these further offences was about more than achieving another positive court outcome.

"It was about securing justice for Debbie and her family and friends, and ensuring the general public know exactly the lengths Griggs was willing to go to in order to escape the consequences of his disgusting actions.

"I hope Debbie's family and friends can take some comfort from the outcome of this case, which is testament to the hard work and determination of Kent Police's cold case detectives and everyone who has worked on this case over many years."