South Leicestershire MP Alberto Costa today raised the case of the convicted child-rapist and killer Colin Pitchfork with the Prime Minister ahead of his next parole hearing scheduled for April later this year.
Alberto asked the Prime Minister for a meeting with the Secretary of State for justice ahead of Mr Pitchforks parole hearing. The Prime Minister responded that the Deputy Prime Minister will soon be submitting his views on the Pitchfork case to the Parole Board and is happy to meet with Alberto ahead of this.
Pitchfork, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1988, was previously released by the Parole Board in September 2021 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 in September last year, however this was then delayed and scheduled to take place in December, before again being moved to April 2023.
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. Alberto 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, “Raising the issue of Colin Pitchfork’s parole hearing with the Prime Minister enabled me to reiterate the profoundly serious concerns of my constituents once again on this issue. Having recently had reassurances that the Government will be making the strongest possible case to the Parole Board for England & Wales to oppose Pitchfork’s release, I look forward to the promised meeting with the Secretary of State for Justice. I continue to very much hope that the Parole Board will make the right decision in keeping this dangerous offender behind bars where he belongs.”
Alberto added, “Given the Parole Board’s flawed decision to release Pitchfork in September 2021, there is an understandable degree of anxiety among my constituents, and myself personally, about the prospect of Pitchfork being released again. These feelings have not been helped by the prolonged delays in having Pitchfork’s case heard with a number of recent postponements. For the sake of my constituents and most importantly, the families of Lynda and Dawn, it is imperative that Pitchfork’s case is heard in April and the correct decision is reached in the interests of public safety to refuse his request for parole.”
