The cannibal killer who terrorised east London and even ate victims' brains with butter

Peter Bryan killed three victims between 1993 and 2004 (Image: Mirror Syndication International)

A cannibal who killed three people ate part of a victim's brain fried in butter and said it was 'really nice'.

Schizophrenic Peter Bryan 's victims between 1993 and 2004 were a 21-year-old woman who he beat to death with a hammer, a friend whose brain he tasted, and a fellow patient he killed after being sent to Broadmoor.

The serial killer - nicknamed 'Peckish Pete' - struck the 21-year-old woman on the head around six times with a claw hammer in 1993 in a gruesome attack.

He later pleaded guilty to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility and was sent to a secure unit.

Bryan spent eight years at Rampton Hospital but was eventually allowed back into society, an inquest at the time was told.

He was released into the community in 2002 without adequate supervision and two years later he killed friend Brian Cherry, 43, in east London and ate part of his brain.

Bryan cut off both of Mr Cherry's arms and one of his legs and fried his brains in butter in February 2004.

Officers at the scene described Bryan as having blood-stained hands and clothes.

They also found a blood-stained knife and claw hammer.

Shocked jury members at the time of the trial heard the victim had been dismembered and officers found a frying pan on the stove with tissue from the dead man's brain.

An inquest previously heard Bryan had told officers: "I ate his brains with butter, it was really nice."

Bryan was admitted to the Luton ward of Broadmoor on April 15, 2004, after a stay at Belmarsh prison where he was described as "unpredictable," presenting a "grave risk to others", and "extremely dangerous."

He was put in seclusion at Broadmoor but four days after his arrival was allowed to mingle with patients under "general observations" or 15 minute checks.

He persuaded staff he was not a threat, and they deemed him “pleasant and co-operative” and let him out after the few days in solitary.

But a few weeks later he went on to kill a fellow patient.

­Bryan strangled Richard Loudwell, 60, while unsupervised.

At an inquest in 2012, Bryan said he "smashed" Loudwell's head on the floor and tied a ligature around his neck so that he would not make any noise.

The 60-year-old was taken with "life threatening" injuries to Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey on April 25, 2004, but died 41 days later, on June 5, having never regained consciousness.

Joanne Fisher, a registered mental nurse and team leader on the Luton ward of Broadmoor previously described finding Loudwell with head injuries on the floor of the ward dining room.

In a statement read by Berkshire Coroner Peter Bedford, she said Bryan had told her: "I got him from behind, I put a ligature around his neck so that he wouldn't make a noise, and I smashed his head."

She added in the statement read to the inquest: "Mr Bryan said he had been thinking about it for a few days, he also said 'I wanted to eat him."'

Her statement was read at the opening of the resumed inquest into the killing of killer Loudwell, who was admitted to Broadmoor on January 15, 2004.

The family of Loudwell was given £40,000 in 2009, the largest single payout, after he was killed by fellow patient Bryan, 41.

After the crime Berkshire coroner Peter Bedford described Bryan as ­“chillingly manipulative” and a Windsor jury returned a narrative verdict.

Bryan pleaded guilty to the manslaughters of Mr Cherry and Loudwell on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

He was ordered to serve two life sentences in prison.