The Parole Board has denied release for Colin Pitchfork, the 65-year-old convicted double child killer and rapist, ruling he will remain in prison. The panel also refused to recommend his transfer to an open prison, citing insufficient progress in addressing his risky behavior.
The Board found Pitchfork had "limited internal controls and poor insight into his risky thinking and behaviour." The panel considered a fresh allegation of misconduct toward a younger prisoner in custody and concluded, on the balance of probabilities, that the alleged behavior occurred. Professional witnesses did not support his release.
First DNA conviction in UK
Pitchfork was convicted in 1988 for raping and strangling two 15-year-old girls, Lynda Mann in 1983 and Dawn Ashworth in 1986, in Leicestershire. He became the first person convicted in the UK using DNA profiling. He received a life sentence with a minimum term of 30 years, later reduced to 28 years.
The 65-year-old was released in September 2021 but recalled to prison two months later after breaching licence conditions by approaching a lone woman while litter-picking. In June 2023, the Parole Board ruled his detention was no longer necessary, but then-Justice Secretary Alex Chalk blocked the decision and called for a review.
Political and family reactions
South Leicestershire MP Alberto Costa told LeicestershireLive: «I am relieved by the Parole Board's decision to keep brutal double child rapist and killer behind bars where he belongs.» He called for reform of the parole reconsideration mechanism, stating Pitchfork could apply for reconsideration repeatedly and at no cost.
Philip Musson, uncle of victim Dawn Ashworth, said: "I'm satisified and relieved at this news because I don't want anybody else to fall victim to Pitchfork." He added the Board must have decided Pitchfork posed too great a risk to the public.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
