Colin Pitchfork: Double schoolgirl murderer can be released

[DumplingsAndStew]

www-bbc-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leicestershire-57384393

His release is subject to a number of licence conditions.

These include living at a designated address, taking part in probation supervision, wearing an electronic tag, taking part in lie detector tests and having to disclose what vehicles he uses and who he speaks to, with particular limits on contact with children.

He will also be subject to a curfew, have restrictions on using technology and limits on where he can go.

So they clearly don't think he's 'rehabilitated'?

Does anyone know if these restrictions expire?

Maybe because he's been in for years and I think whole life tariffs got banned?

My opinion is that for sexually motivated and for certain types of violent offences, perpetrators should not be released until a really proper panel of experts with the public protection at the forefront of their minds have essentially no doubt that they will never do anything again.

If this means that lots of men in prison for VAWG and sex offences are in forever then I'm ok with that.

Not familiar with details of this case, not sure I want to know more in honesty. But can see there is confusion re licences etc. Maybe this might help..

so he got a life sentence - which means he is in custody until he hits tariff (minimum time to spend in custody decided by judge) then he has parole hearings to decide if he is suitable for release on licence. He will always be at risk of recall to prison. The licence conditions can be removed over time but he’ll always be liable for recall.

Presumably he was over tariff and had engaged in whatever he was asked to do regarding rehabilitation in prison. The licence conditions acknowledges the fact that despite whatever interventions he’s done his crime was horrendous and he is untested in the community. They’re as strict as they get but regardless of the view of him now, that’s right given his crime.

• caveat my info is about right I think.. but I am a bit out of date, I’m sure I’ll be corrected if wrong!

Colin Pitchfork will be on life licence, like all murderers. Those licence conditions are not exceptional, the majority of very serious offenders have similar licence conditions. As someone mentioned upthread, he can be recalled to prison at any time, for any infraction. Murderers have been recalled for getting drunk in public, and for shouting at their neighbours.

I think he will be under very careful supervision - noone will want to be the probation officer who loses track of someone as high profile as Pitchfork. He will have to wear a tag, and he will almost definitely have to start off by living in a hostel, where his behaviour and movements can be supervised carefully.

All that aside, I cant see the point of releasing him. He is one who should die in prison.

I really think someone who murders for fun/deliberately (as opposed to in self-defence or accidentally), not to mention someone who sadistically rapes minors as well, should be kept in prison for life for reasons of public safety. I don't think you can rehabilitate someone who is dangerous enough to do that. Maybe if they got swept up in a gang at a young age or something? But everything about this guy is saying no, he's never coming back from that.

@Rhannion

He is was only caught because he asked someone else to take the DNA test for him, someone overheard that and reported him to the police so he clearly cunning, and that’s unlike to change.

This is the sort of behaviour which I think we have seen being mentioned here before in connection with name changes via deed poll.

There was a government petition and the response is here:

"The failure of a sex offender to tell police of a name change within three days is a criminal offence, with a maximum prison sentence of five years, and the Home Office already reserves the right not to issue a document in a new name to a registered sex offender."

(I'd say a lot can happen in 3 days, personally I think the sex offender should register the intent to change their name prior to beginning the process, as in, 'proposing to undergo'.)

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/300705

@Justasecondnow. Very famous case. Pitchfork nearly got away with his vile crimes by managing to persuade an acquaintance to take the DNA test that would have identified him. This was discovered and Pitchfork was tested and identified as the murderer. I believe he was the first conviction on DNA evidence. I believe he will be recognised and hunted wherever he goes. Good.

@SmokedDuck But he's on a life sentence as he killed two girls. They can monitor him as much as they want.

According to Wikipedia:

During subsequent questioning, Pitchfork admitted to exposing himself to more than 1,000 women, a compulsion that began in his early teens. He later progressed to sexual assault and then to strangling his victims in order to protect his identity. He pleaded guilty to the two rapes/murders in addition to another incident of sexual assault, and was sentenced to life imprisonment.[8] The Lord Chief Justice at the time of his sentencing said: "From the point of view of the safety of the public I doubt if he should ever be released."

And now of course we have the internet, something that wasn't available to him before.

I was listening to something on Times Radio about this, and they said he had admitted to 1000s of indecent exposures/flashing.

If he were truly repentant and reformed, he wouldn't apply to be released. He would understand he could do his best work helping the disabled in prison.

I know this case because of the hero at Leicester University who got his DNA. That man's work has been phenomenal.

He is very dangerous and still relatively young, he shouldn’t be released, what an earth are they thinking!

There is so much incorrect information on this thread. The Legal Test for release is if the PB is satisfied that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public that the prisoner be confined. In short, the view is that the risk is manageable in the community. Rehabilitation is not something that people can categorically guarantee as it’s an absolute term.

@RoseRedRoseBlue

There is so much incorrect information on this thread. The Legal Test for release is if the PB is satisfied that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public that the prisoner be confined. In short, the view is that the risk is manageable in the community. Rehabilitation is not something that people can categorically guarantee as it’s an absolute term.

If I became repentant and reformed after raping and killing two children, I thank the maker I was alive in prison. Honestly, I would have committed suicide coming to terms with that. The act of him applying to get out demonstrates he doesn't understand what he's done.

He should stay in for life. I wouldn’t want him living next door to me and I don’t have young children. I don’t think someone like this can be repaired. I’m assuming the public purse will be spending a fortune giving him a new identity, a house, money etc. It’s appalling.

In short, the view is that the risk is manageable in the community.

Recidivism for sexual offences is high and conviction rates are low. And my experience is that prison doesn't work. Not for these offences.

Equally life terms are not manageable for many reasons including offender management in prison and cost.

I don't support the death penalty.

So what's the answer? It's likely to be managed accommodation with skilled staff for a long time after release. And that's expensive and difficult.

I don’t think there has been any mention of a new identity. He will be eligible for the same benefits as everyone else. His housing will be subject to strict approval.

This is going to go down very very badly in Leicestershire. I'm assuming that they'll house him in another county as people have long memories and he is universally loathed.
Those poor girls would have been around my age now. It's a case that has always stuck in my mind and it's going to be terrible for their families to hear this news.

I am sure you are right.

@Feelinghothothottoday

He should stay in for life. I wouldn’t want him living next door to me and I don’t have young children. I don’t think someone like this can be repaired. I’m assuming the public purse will be spending a fortune giving him a new identity, a house, money etc. It’s appalling.

Totally agree, a double rapist and murderer should never, ever be released, no matter what. Those young girls had their whole lives ahead of them and he robbed them of those futures, and caused their families unending heartbreak. It’s not revenge, it’s justice that he should never have a life outside jail.

Prison would be the answer if he stayed there for the rest of his life.

www2.le.ac.uk/projects/genie/gs/law/lawfingerprinting

I'm in Texas, and Pitchfork here would have been executed years ago.

But we owe so much to the professor who did the DNA. He is responsible for catching men who do these things and stopping them for doing more.

www2.le.ac.uk/projects/genie/gs/law/lawfingerprinting

See it's the use of the word 'rehabilatated' that's just so misleading. I mean it implies that sadists and sociopaths and similar were once healthy, neurotypical members of society. When in fact these people have been fucked up since way back when they were in nappies.

If he has been 'rehabilitated' then the person/team who did it deserves the nobel prize. Or whatever the psychologist equivalent is. Seriously, where's the book deal and the 12 step program? Yeah...its not possible to rehabilitate monsters to be anything other than monsters who can hide it better.

Don't think his new name should be shared

The thing for me and I know this might sound weird or something. So bear with me .

This was a horrific crime that the man's been in prison for more than 30 years for. His release was on the 10 pm BBC news.

Quite right too. As I said earlier. With certain types of violence and all sex offences the protection of the public should take absolute priority over any arbitrary punishment time.

Thing is. Last year, or the year before. There was story after story about women being murdered by men known to the police. In more than one case she had contacted them multiple times before she was killed. In one she was fined for wasting police time.

Stories about 'accidental' strangulation. About women who have been essentially tortured. The men getting fuck all time.

They were going to release John warboys FFS. Thought to have over 100 victims. The police said to loads of women, it's ok you don't have to give evidence we've got him on these 10 or however many. Then when he was paroled. Oh he was only found guilty of 10! We can't take any others into account.

The treatment and brave testimony of Sammy Woodhouse.

And on and on and on for way too long a list.

Yes I understand the outrage and it being on the news.

But what about All The Others?

I hope that makes sense. It's not intended to trivialise anything.