2:11pm UK, Friday January 04, 2008

Mass murderer Harold Shipman will be included in the latest edition of a dictionary compiling the lives of British society's leading figures.

180 harold shipman

Shipman has been attributed to 215 murders and 45 suspicious deaths

Hejoins legends of radio, John Peel, and football, Brian Clough, in the updated online publication of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (DNB).

The dictionary, published since 1885, describes individuals who have left their mark on British society.

Shipman is among 211 men and women to be added to the latest edition, all of whom died in 2004.

The notorious GP, who hanged himself in Wakefield prison in 2004, has been attributed by an official public inquiry to 215 murders and 45 other suspicious deaths.

The dictionary describes him as having "a superiority complex", adding "he wanted to feel omnipotent, realised that the ultimate power is that of deciding life and death, and made himself Britain's most prolific serial killer out of vanity".

Shipman joins other infamous murderers like Jack the Ripper and Myra Hindley in the online edition.

"(The DNB) is not a roll-call of the 'great and good' but a record of those who left a mark on any aspect of British history, for good or ill," explained editor Dr Lawrence Goldman.

"Not only was Shipman a heinous mass murderer but the nature of his crimes led to a public inquiry and to intense discussion on the relationship between doctor and patient."

Among the 'great and good' are campaigning journalist Paul Foot, Letter From America host Alistair Cooke, leading scientist Francis Crick and Welsh football legend John Charles.