The parole hearing for Colin Pitchfork, who was convicted of raping and murdering two teenagers, will no longer be held in public due to “unforeseeable developments including fresh allegations”.
The Parole Board said on Thursday the allegations were “in respect of relatively recent conduct” and apologised for the “increased stress” on the families of the victims. It is unclear what the allegations refer to.
Pitchfork was jailed for life in 1988 for raping and strangling Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth, both 15, in 1983 and 1986 in Leicestershire. The full ruling from the panel chair on the parole hearing is not expected to be published until next week at the earliest.
Pitchfork, then aged 27, became the first man to be convicted in the UK using DNA profiling and was handed a minimum jail term of 30 years, later reduced to 28 years.
The 64-year-old was initially released in September 2021 but returned to prison two months later after breaching his licence conditions when he approached a lone woman while litter-picking.
A spokesperson for the Parole Board said: “A panel of the Parole Board held a directions hearing for Colin Pitchfork on Wednesday 10 July.
“At that directions hearing, the panel and both parties discussed how best to receive evidence in respect of fresh allegations in the case. This included the submission of new material to the panel which relates to risk.
“We regret that as a result of material changes in circumstances there has had to be a change of decision in relation to the nature of the hearing, which will no longer be held in public.
“It has been caused by unforeseeable developments including fresh allegations in respect of relatively recent conduct. A copy of the public hearing decision, made by the panel chair using their delegated authority, will be published on the Parole Board website, when available.
“We would like to apologise again for the increased stress that both the adjournment and the subsequent public hearing decision may have on the victims.
“Victim involvement is a valued part of the parole process and the victims have been invited to observe some of the private proceedings. The private oral hearing will be relisted in due course.”
In June 2023, the Parole Board found the decision to recall Pitchfork to prison to be flawed and said his detention was no longer necessary for public safety.
But this ruling was blocked by the then justice secretary, Alex Chalk, as he called for the decision to release Pitchfork to be reviewed.
Although he lost his latest bid for freedom in December, the former baker successfully challenged the ruling to keep him behind bars in February. The convicted murderer’s latest parole hearing could result in him being released from prison.
Source: theguardian.com
