Families’ fury as child killer Pitchfork strolls free near schools
First photo of murderer released on parole
‘He should not be breathing the same air’
WEARING a flat cap and spectacles, double child killer Colin Pitchfork enjoys life as a free man.
To the fury of his victims’ relatives, the 61-year-old sexual predator has been placed in a hostel close to three schools and two nurseries.
Pitchfork, who was imprisoned for life in 1988 for the rape and murder of two 15-year-old girls, was secretly driven away from prison by police last week.
Over the past few days, the slimmeddown murderer has been spotted taking daily walks past unsuspecting families from his hostel in the south of England.
Wearing a T-shirt, jeans and a new pair of trainers, Pitchfork has been familiarising himself with his suburban neighbourhood. Hidden beneath his jeans is an electronic tag which allows police to monitor his movements.
But concerns emerged yesterday over the location of the predator’s so-called ‘approved premises’. Rebecca Eastwood, the sister of Pitchfork’s first victim Lynda Mann, said: ‘Why has he been placed near a number of schools? I just hope the pictures will mean people will now be able to be on their guard.’
Miss Eastwood, of Liverpool, added: ‘Please remember his face and stay clear of him and keep your children safe. There is no way a man who committed these crimes can change.’
Barbara Ashworth, the mother of Pitchfork’s second victim Dawn Ashworth, said: ‘This man should not be breathing the same air as us. He should not be walking the streets again.’
The families of both victims have accused the Parole Board of putting children at risk by ignoring concerns from experts, especially over Pitchfork’s ‘future sexual interests’.
The killer will take regular lie detector tests, have a night-time curfew and be restricted from using the internet on his own.
He is also banned from approaching children and will be on the sex offenders register for life. Pitchfork’s hostel has a small garden, a pool table and runs a cooking club for residents.
A source said last night: ‘It seems a really unsuitable place to house him. Just the thought of Pitchfork walking among local school children is terrifying.’
Pitchfork strangled Lynda in Narborough, Leicestershire, in November 1983. He killed Dawn three years later in the neighbouring village of Enderby. He became the first person to be convicted using DNA evidence after he had tried to evade capture by persuading a work colleague to take a blood test for him during the murder hunt.