South Leicestershire MP, Alberto Costa, has written to the new Secretary of State for Justice to ask that the forthcoming parole hearing for the convicted rapist and child-killer Colin Pitchfork be heard in public given the ‘grave national concern’ over his case.
Pitchfork, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1988, was previously released by the Parole Board in September last year before being recalled to prison two months later for breaching his licence conditions. He was due to have his next hearing in front of the Parole Board last month however this has now been moved to December.
It was recently announced that the convicted murderer Russell Causley will become the first prisoner to have their parole hearing heard in public, under reforms made to the parole system to increase transparency and public confidence.
Following these changes, Alberto has written to the new Secretary of State for Justice, The Rt. Hon Brandon Lewis MP, to request that the hearing for Colin Pitchfork also be heard in public, with the MP highlighting the ‘special circumstances’ in his case.
Alberto has long campaigned against the release of Colin Pitchfork, who raped and murdered two teenage girls, Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth, in his constituency in 1983 and 1986 respectively. The MP has been highly critical of the Parole Board’s actions in directing Pitchfork for release, especially after he was recalled to prison after only a matter of weeks due to serious concerns over his behaviour.
Alberto said, “I have today written to the new Secretary of State for Justice in order to formally request that the upcoming parole hearing for Colin Pitchfork be heard in public. I have been very supportive of the Government’s efforts to reform the parole system in the interests of greater transparency, and I believe given the special circumstances in Pitchfork’s case, whereby there is a grave national concern over his release, that his hearing should be heard in public so that my constituents and others can be fully informed as to the approaches the Parole Board take in reaching their decision”.
Alberto added, “New reforms, such as the ability to request that a parole hearing be heard in public, are central to the Government’s intention in increasing confidence in the Parole System. My confidence, and that of my constituents, has been significantly shaken by the Parole Board’s decision to release Pitchfork last year; concerns that were well founded given his speedy recall to prison a matter of weeks later. I do hope the Parole Board consider this request to have Pitchfork’s hearing heard in public, and ultimately make the right decision to keep him behind bars where he belongs”.
