Today, The Daily Mail reports that the Parole board is facing major changes to improve public safety.
Dominic Raab would like it to be more focused on potential dangers than it is on murderers or rapists.
The Justice Secretary’s intervention comes amid widespread fury over the release of child killer Colin Pitchfork in September.
The Justice Secretary’s intervention comes amid widespread fury over the release of child killer Colin Pitchfork, pictured, in September
After he approached girls at his bail hostel, he was forced to be sent back to prison.
It was due to present its results by Christmas after a large-scale examination of the Parole Board, which began 12 months ago.
But this was delayed to allow Mr Raab to have a second look at it.
‘He believes the board is adrift from its core purpose and he wants to make sure it is exactly as he wants it,’ a source said. ‘Risk to the public must be the top consideration.’
The final review will now not be published until next year – potentially too late to prevent Pitchfork’s release.
The board acknowledged yesterday that the double murderer could be released again in a matter of months, if the case review determines safe.
It could happen as soon as February, behind closed doors.
The panel will quiz the notorious killer’s probation officer, bail hostel staff and analyse polygraph results amid concerns Pitchfork may have been trying to cheat lie detector tests.
Lynda Mann was 15, a Leicestershire girl who was raped, and then murdered by Pitchfork. Last week, Mann approached girls in his bail hostel and was forced to return to prison.
The committee will hear testimony from witnesses regarding the disgusting behavior of the aged 61-year old towards young females.
A Ministry of Justice source said: ‘Pitchfork’s behaviour on the outside shows his risk remains significant and this new, compelling evidence weighs heavily against his release any time soon.
‘He’s clearly not fit for release in a few months – it simply won’t happen.’
Pitchfork, even if he’s deemed dangerous still has a chance to be released 24 months after the panel reconsiders its decision.
He was sentenced for life in prison after strangling and raping 15-year olds Dawn Ashworth and Lynda Man in Leicestershire, in 1983 and 1986.
In 2009, his minimum sentence of 30 years was reduced by two years. He was released to bail in September at a hostel on the coast in spite of warnings that he remained dangerous.
His actions of sidling up with teenage girls, in their early teens or 20s, led to his arrest on Friday. That led to fresh fury over the board’s decision to release him.
The board made an unusual statement yesterday claiming that Robert Buckland (then justice secretary) sanctioned the decision, failing to make any objections at May’s hearing.
A spokesman said: ‘The secretary of state at the time was also represented at the hearing and did not oppose release.’
Buckland responded by saying that it was not his responsibility to overrule independent bodies’ decisions.
He said he instead applied formally for the board to reconsider the decision and spoke openly about how ‘frustrated’ he was about the release of the ‘sadistic’ child killer. Judge Michael Topolski QC rejected Mr Buckland’s challenge.
Fifteen-year-old Dawn Ashworth was raped and murdered by Pitchfork in July 1986
Mr Buckland added last night: ‘It’s wrong to suggest I am somehow complicit. How they conduct themselves should include public protection. [the Parole Board] do these cases.’
Yesterday’s report said that victims could have the right of appeal against an independent body challenging the release of criminals. Currently they – or the Justice Secretary – can only ask the board to reconsider its verdict.
A board spokesman said: ‘Parole Board panels rely heavily on the evidence of professional witnesses who have the benefit of monitoring and working closely with an offender throughout their sentence.
‘The Parole Board’s judicial decision to release Mr Pitchfork was made in May and followed consideration of extensive evidence from his community probation officer, prison probation officer and prison psychologist.’
Yesterday’s criticism of the statement by the board on Pitchfork was added to the pressure placed on it yesterday by MPs.
Alberto Costa, who campaigned against the killer’s release, wrote online: ‘Hugely disappointing to see this statement from the Parole Board on Colin Pitchfork’s recall to prison. Very little accountability or contrition.’
Fellow Tory Marcus Fysh said: ‘I see the Parole Board is another example of a quango that doesn’t know what it’s doing.’