Thug who killed father of three to be set free
ONE of the thugs who beat father-ofthree Garry Newlove to death is to be freed from prison less than 12 years after he was jailed for life.
Stephen Sorton, 29, is believed to have delivered the killer blow to Mr Newlove after he rebuked them for vandalising cars. Sorton and two other thugs repeatedly punched Mr Newlove, 47, and kicked his head ‘like a football’ outside his home in Warrington, Cheshire, in 2007 while they were drunk and high on skunk cannabis.
But the Parole Board has recommended that Sorton be released. And another of the murderers, Jordan Cunliffe, is to have his case reviewed in the coming weeks, so he too could be freed.
The pair were 16 and 17 when they attacked Mr Newlove. Despite the intervention of Mr Newlove’s daughters, the two yobs and a third assailant, Adam Swellings, just laughed and continued the
‘He will have to wear a tag’
attack. All three were later jailed for life. Mr Newlove’s death became symbolic of what became known as Broken Britain.
Sorton had been ordered to serve 15 years, but his sentence was reduced by two years after an appeal. Cunliffe was sentenced to life with a recommended minimum term of 12 years.
Sorton, who has been in an open prison since November 2017, had his case considered by the Parole Board for the second time at an oral hearing on February 7.
The panel heard he had already spent some time on temporary release. He is expected to face a curfew and will have to wear a tag once he is released. Swellings received a 17-year sentence and is not yet eligible to be considered for release.
Mr Newlove’s widow Helen was made a peer in 2010 following her campaign work on youth crime and served as the Victim’s Commissioner from 2012 to 2019.