To be absolutely disgusted that Colin Pitchfork is being released?

[MrsTrustice]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-57737050

He is 61, he easily could have 30 years left to do it again. How the hell are women ever supposed to feel safe when men like this still get a second chance? A government appeal to stop the release was rejected ffs. Who makes these decisions? I feel ill.

@Ghosttile

The minimum term is 30 years but he doesn’t have to be released after 30 years.

No, he doesn't have to be, but he has the right to apply for parole at this stage.

The parole boards decision is based solely on risk to the public - whether they think he should serve more time or if its morally right for him to do so is not in their remit.

The parole board cannot keep him in prison if they believe he is safe to be released.

Same as a murder that took place near to me in the late 1980s. Not sure if we’re allowed to name on here, the man was tried and convicted, even though he protested (and still does) that he is innocent. He served far longer than his original tariff, as he has repeatedly refused to reveal the location of the body of his victim, as he still says it wasn’t him. He was released last year.

I think what this thread show is that people don’t have complete faith in our justice system

I work in rehabilitation I believe in it but I do as many colleagues do question some decisions made

It’s never fail proof. I don’t personally believe sex offenders can be rehabilitated. The risk maybe not as high due to their age but there are other ways they are a threat to society abs can cause harm especially now they have access to the internet

I can’t understand the logic of how a tag or monitoring of any kind could prevent him from repeating a similar crime. He came across both victims not far from his home address. Although one was after dark, the other was in daylight on a country lane. He was opportunistic, probably saw both girls turn off the same main road onto these quieter paths and followed them. I was a teenager in Narborough myself at the time. Me and my friends walked these paths frequently too.
He started exposing himself in his teens, reportedly 1000 times. He also committed another sexual assault. This is while living an otherwise outwardly normal life with a wife and children and job. He committed one of the murders while his baby son was asleep in the back of his car. Then went home and put the child to bed as if nothing had happened.
He managed to live right in the centre of our community, while the village was turned upside down by the events. It seems he was so convincing that no one suspected him. He could stroll around a traumatised community without betraying himself. Totally psychopathic. I don’t believe he can ever not be a danger to the public.

Is he actually out now?
What position actions will releasing this man have on society? He’s spent over 30 years in prison, he’s hardly likely to gain any meaningful employment ( who would want to work with him?) and will rely on tax payers money to supervise him and support him.
Deepest sympathy to the surviving families.

I thought we are trying to make society safer for women?..
What example is this setting? Atleast John Worboys was kept inside prison.
This man will have a name change and could be anywhere.

@PercyPigandMe
@Youdiditanyway but he couldn't 'easily do it again.' Honestly people need to actually think before posting really. It's almost impossible for him to do this again. I should think he will be tagged for a start before we even get to things like curfews, exclusion zones and daily reporting

Would you be happy for this man to be living next door to you? Or in the same block of flats?

It might be nearly impossible for him to do something and then get away with it. But what if he decides his life outside is no picnic and he doesn’t mind the prospect of going back inside?

(By the way this was discussed on Wednesday’s Women’s Hour in case anyone wants to listen, sorry if that’s already been mentioned.)

The only thing the parole board can consider is whether he is safe to be released.

Offenders like this NEVER change, this is known. In addition I suspect that’s the only crimes he was caught/convicted of I think it’s highly likely there were others of which he was guilty and never prosecuted for. I don’t believe he went 3 years at least without reoffending. We all know how appalling the rates are.

The members of the panel that decided this should be told that if he commits any further crimes, they will be held personally responsible

I agree - they should be held responsible for failing in their duty of care to the public and removed from the role.

So you either believe in rehabilitation and justice or you don't

I don’t believe serial killers and serial rapists can be rehabilitated no, and there’s a wealth of evidence to support this.

there are loads of murderers who serve a lot less time and are out wandering about

Commenting on one doesn’t mean we don’t think and feel the same regarding the others

AND he's been on day release for ages without issue

As far as we know... doesn’t mean he hasn’t reoffended. Again we all know how poor the rates are for investigation, charge and conviction.

Posters are right, flashers are not “benign” they often escalate. I believe ted bundy started as a peeping Tom, then moved to flashing and escalated from there.

Sarah everards killer was caught as a flasher and allowed to still be an armed police officer! I mean wtf!

Is there such a thing as a whole life sentence in the UK?

Yes but it’s rarely applied.

When the death sentence was on the books for abolishment back in the day the govt of the day promised that certain criminals would still receive full life sentences - that’s long since gone! Murderers Serve an average of 16.5 years, which is pathetic!

Rape is just 8 years IF convicted and generally only the most violent examples of rape.

Misogyny rules uk!

but we must believe in the justice system why?

It repeatedly and consistently lets women and children down.

It's almost impossible for him to do this again. I should think he will be tagged for a start before we even get to things like curfews, exclusion zones and daily reporting

Are you seriously suggesting he won’t have any contact with women or children? Is he going to live in a hut miles away from others? Of course not!

Stick em all on an island we have plenty of them that are hard to access/leave all around the Uk

We all come to opinions based on emotional responses

Not JUST emotional responses though, tons of research and work with such offenders has shown time and again that they cannot be rehabilitated. This is who they are and that doesn’t change.

In addition prison IS also meant to be a punishment that fits the crime - you take a life you should effectively in terms of freedom lose yours. Their victims cannot rise again after 30 years!

The parole board will see and know how they behaved

In an artificial environment. It’s not the same as life outside prison.

I thought we are trying to make society safer for women?..

Genuine question what are you basing that belief on?

Great post Graphista

For certain crimes I don't think enough time can be served and I personally don't care about rehabilitation.

If you rape and kill kids you shouldn't get out. You die in prison.

@MrsTrustice

I am not sure women are even supposed to “feel safe”. Our needs for safety are secondary to the wants and needs.. and yes whims of men.

Us being safe maybe in the old days would have been considered. Meaning men wouldn’t barge into a ladies room. But we are in a dark place right now with pretty much every pretense to protect women is being done away with.

If women’s safety was important than rapists would get longer sentences. More rape cases would be prosecuted for that matter .

We already edit our lives to avoid danger as much as possible, so I guess we have to be even more vigilant. It’s all getting really exhausting and depressing tbh.

Not sure if it’s mt hormones. But I’m really feeling like it’s going to get worse before it gets better.

I would really like someone to explain to me how someone who rapes and murdered two young girls is “not a danger”. What is the metric to judge by?!

And you’re right.. he’s 60 and a predator. As far as I know an old shark is just as dangerous as a young shark. Predators do not change ever!

Are they going to let the neighbors know when he moves in at least? People need to know so that they can be especially cautious and aware so more young girls aren’t hurt.

It’s interesting to me that in these hearings they don’t bring up the escalation that took place.

He started off exposing himself and escalated to rape and murder. How are we to know he won’t go back to that original deviant behaviour that then escalated?

I assume he had psychological counseling, but nonetheless this sort of behavior I don’t think you can be “rehabilitated” from.

You abduct, rape and murder two children. How can anyone justify his release? And the lengths he went to in order tp hide his guilt.

Yes he’s a paragon of honour. (Sarcasm)

Great post Graphista

We can only rely on how good the team are around him. Hopefully it’s shall be tightly run and any changes in his behaviour will be picked up on very quickly. But he will be apt at knowing what they are looking for, what to tell them.

There will be no or shouldn’t be any relying on him to be truthful, honest or not having a desire to harm others. His age makes him statistically less likely to carry out a violent attack but there are other ways to abuse looking at children being abused online. And these people always sought out others like themselves

Honestly this just makes me sick. I’m so worried he’ll be released near me, I walk alone, rurally all the time and the thought of coming across him whilst out on my own. Or ANY woman or girl coming across him whilst on their own tbh.

There is no way a serial killer and serial rapist can be rehabilitated, sorry, but come on. His crimes were 3 years apart too so not like he didn’t have time to come clean or realise what a horrible, murderous c* he was from the first time. And the day he never would have come clean if he wasn’t caught.

Honestly, I keep thinking this must be some kind of sick joke?! He’s only 60, men in their 60’s are perfectly fit and healthy, he’s definitely not too old to physically harm someone.

Also, what exactly if he going to do with his life?! How exactly would he get a job and a house?! Is he just going to live on benefits forever more?! Basically we have to pay for a serial killer/ Rapist to live in civilisation. Great.

And of course he could re-offend, unless he’s going to have 3 chaperones with him 24/7, watching his every, single move, he could easily get his hands on someone.

I just cannot believe this is being allowed to happen.

Oh and to not be placed on the sex offenders list either....what a joke!

Can I just make it crystal clear - if I haven't already! - that I don't support his release. I think he's the scum of the earth and a bloody bullet is too good for him and his ilk.

But he's being released. And that's the facts of the matter. Would I want him next door to me? Absolutely not - I don't want him next door to anyone! But he's been deemed 'safe' and none of us on this thread are privy to why that is the case, why the parole board have reached that decision.

It's horrendous, he should never be released. He destroyed families and lives, including his own family. I'm from Littlethorpe, went to primary school with his kids although we knew nothing about it as kids. I guess as it was before social media and sharing and stuff, but none of us knew. My mum told me about press coming to the school gates and harassing parents to try and find and speak to his wife and kids. My dad was one of the many, many men in the area who gave DNA for this new, strange technique that did eventually catch Pitchfork out. I think like any community with such a serious crime in it's midst, it destroyed a trust and created a hole.

I don't know what happened to his family, those poor kids who became a twisted piece of crime gossip. I hope they had a good life.

I think most people who kill once, in the heat of the moment, should have the chance to redeem themselves and have the chance of parole after serving a long prison sentence.

But men who rape and kill children, twice, should get no second chance. They should be put down like a rabid dog, or at least kept in prison til they die.

Luckily, if this happened today the Judge could order that he spends his entire life in prison with no chance of release. Back then the Home Secretary decided what “life” meant in any “life” case and decided 30 years which means he has to be released if he’s deemed “safe”.

How someone who did that twice can be deemed safe is beyond me.

If he does it again, he would not be released under the law as it is now, but why take the risk?

He is going to change his name , I read the other day.
It's cases like this that make people want the death penalty brought back because the ' justice ' system does not work at all.
This monster should not be allowed out of jail unless he is in a wooden box.
He should not be allowed to live amongst normal moral people.
It makes me feel sick that other people in the justice system think that his is ' ok ' when it isn't .

He hasn't been deemed safe. The risk of him reoffending is considered to be low enough that there isn't a legal justification to keep him in prison. What constitutes a low enough risk, though? I'm quite sure that I don't agree that his risk of reoffending is low enough.

Thank you Lockheart.

He is a 'low enough ' risk to those in the ' Justice ' system , obviously.
They don't care where he ends up as it obviously won't be anywhere near them I suppose :(
It's morally wrong to let this man go free.