THE inspiration behind ITV’s mini series ’Dark Angel’ gripped sixth form psychology students with his talk on the mind-set of murderers during a visit to their school.

Professor David Wilson, who has come into contact with virtually all recent serial killers, fascinated teenagers from Monmouth School and Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls just before half term.

Author of ‘Mary Ann Cotton: Britain’s First Female Serial Killer’, which is the inspiration behind ITV’s new drama, ‘Dark Angel’, Professor Wilson told his attentive audience about the prolific Victorian poisoner who killed as many as 21 victims, including her husband and children.

The charismatic expert, who started his career as a prison governor and at 29 became England’s youngest governing governor, designed and ran units for the 12 most violent prisoners in the country.

Whilst at HMP Woodhill, Wilson helped to design and managed the two units for the twelve most disruptive prisoners in the country.

This experience brought him into contact with some of the most notorious offenders of the last 30 years, including Charles Bronson and Dennis Nilsen.

As well as revealing surprising facts about the groups of people most likely to be murdered and targeted by serial killers, Professor Wilson told pupils which tell-tale signs psychologists watch for when lying killers are interviewed on camera.

Regularly appearing in the print and broadcast media as a commentator and presenter, Professor Wilson’s exciting talk reflected what the students might go on to experience in their first criminology lecture at university.

Having highlighted the gay community, sex workers and the elderly as being groups likely to be preyed upon by serial killers, Professor Wilson encouraged the Haberdashers’ pupils to help vulnerable people.

He told them: “Do something to combat homophobia. It’s not right for someone to be judged.

“You’re going to be the leaders of tomorrow, you can do something by changing the problem. We need policy debates about how we police sex work, for example. Make those who suffer from inequality in our culture less voiceless, less powerless,” he added.