Child killer Pitchfork given parole hearing

COLIN PITCHFORK, the double child killer, has been granted an appeal to be considered for release, prompting anger at the Parole Board’s “flawed” handling of his case.

Alex Chalk, the Justice Secretary, is seeking an urgent meeting with the parole board over its “deeply concerning” decision to grant Pitchfork’s appeal to reconsider his case.

The 63-year-old lost his latest bid for freedom in December but, having contested the decision will now face a fresh parole hearing which could result in him being released from jail.

The mother of one of his victims said “words fail me now” as she heard the news. An MP who has campaigned to keep Pitchfork behind bars said the Parole Board was “demonstrating its utter inability to appropriately deal with this dangerous man”.

Pitchfork was jailed for life in 1988 after raping and strangling two 15-year-olds, Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth, in Leicestershire in 1983 and 1986. He was given a minimum term of 30 years, later reduced to 28 years because of progress he had made in prison, and was released in September 2021.

Pitchfork was back behind bars two months later after he breached his licence conditions when he approached a woman while litterpicking.

In June last year the parole board found the decision to recall him to prison was flawed and said his detention was no longer necessary for public safety. But this ruling was blocked by Mr Chalk – who is also the Lord Chancellor – as he called for the decision to release Pitchfork to be reviewed. The board reviewed the decision and decided Mr Chalk was right. But Pitchfork appealed, resulting in a fresh hearing.

A government source said it was “concerning that, having made one flawed decision, the parole board has made another, causing immense distress to the families of Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth”. Barbara Ashworth, Dawn’s mother, expressed her anguish at the news of another hearing.