Double child murderer Colin Pitchfork’s next parole hearing will no longer be held in public after “new allegations” emerged, the Parole Board has said.
Forced was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1988 for the rape and murder of two 15-year-old girls, Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth, in Leicester in 1983 and 1986.
The Parole Board said the parole hearing would no longer be held in public following “new allegations regarding relatively recent conduct” and apologized for the “increased stress” on victims’ families.
The hearing will now be relisted to be heard in private.
Pitchfork was the first man to be convicted in the UK using DNA profiling and received a minimum prison sentence of 30 years, later reduced to 28 years.
He was initially released from prison in September 2021, but returned to prison two months later after breaching the conditions of his license by approaching a lone woman while picking up rubbish.
A Parole Board hearing was held on Wednesday and discussed “how best to receive evidence regarding new allegations in the case.”
“This included presenting new material to the panel relating to risk,” a spokesperson said.
“We regret that, as a result of material changes in circumstances, a change of decision has been necessary regarding the nature of the hearing, which will no longer be held in public.
“This was caused by unpredictable developments, including new allegations regarding relatively recent conduct.”
They added that their decisions focus on the risks a prisoner might pose to the public if released and whether this would be “manageable” in the community.
“The panel will carefully examine a whole range of evidence, including details of the original crime and any evidence of changed behaviour, as well as understanding the harm caused and the impact the crime has had on victims,” they said.
“Probation reviews are performed thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority.”
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See more information:
Who is Colin Pitchfork?
Pitchfork gets new parole hearing
The Parole Board previously said the hearing, scheduled for this month, would be performed in public in the “interests of justice”.
Pitchfork was 22 years old and married with two children when he committed his first crime.
He was also convicted of sexually assaulting two more girls and admitted to exposing himself to more than 1,000 girls and women.
In December, the Parole Board said it was still too risky to release him. But earlier this year, the killer successfully applied for the decision to be reconsidered.
At the time, Dawn’s mother, Barbara Ashworth, said: “Words fail me now. He seems to want to fight no matter what.
“He killed two students. I know what he would do: throw away the key.”
This story originally appeared on News.sky.com read the full story
