Jailed rapist’s freedom plea denied
A FORMER bouncer jailed for raping three vulnerable victims has lost his latest bid for freedom after a judge heard he might be a psychopath.
Ashley Wright, 59, was jailed in 2002 for a string of offences against current or former prostitutes.
One had been held captive, intimidated by threats and violence, and raped by Wright, while the others were both raped and robbed.
He was jailed for 15 years, with another four on licence, and was back in prison within four months of his release in January 2011.
His wife reported having found him passed out through crack cocaine and he was recalled to jail after leaving his hostel, threatening suicide.
Wright, formerly of Bowlas Avenue, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, has since been denied freedom three times after being deemed too dangerous by the Parole Board.
Last month, he took his case to the High Court, where his lawyers argued the most recent refusal, in February, was flawed and should be quashed. The decision had been made without the Parole Board having a “full psychological risk assessment” on Wright, it was argued.
The hearing should have been adjourned to allow further information to be gathered and put before the panel members, his lawyers claimed.
But, rejecting his challenge, Mr Justice Jeremy Baker said the Parole Board could not be criticised for going ahead without a full assessment.
Although there had not been a definite diagnosis, it had evidence from psychologists who said Wright showed signs of psychopathy, he told the court.
One said he “met the cut-off for psychopathy”, while another said features of his case suggested he suffered from a “high level of psychopathy”.
The experts also agreed there was significant evidence to suggest Wright posed a “high risk of harm to the public, and particularly vulnerable women”, added the judge.
There was “sufficient evidence” for the panel to make an “appropriate determination” about the risk of releasing Wright, he ruled.
“I am satisfied there can be no valid criticism made of the decision not to further adjourn the third review hearing and that Ashley Wright has not suffered unfairness as a result,” he said.
“Accordingly, the application for judicial review is refused.”
The court heard Wright’s sentence was due to end in January 2020.