Colin Pitchfork will be released

[AssassinatedBeauty]

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

It seems that gaining a degree and learning how to transcribe braille is sufficient to persuade a parole board that you are no longer a danger to women and girls. He is only 61, he could have many years of offending left before him.

@AssassinatedBeauty
Just out of curiosity did you choose to post this in this section of feminism or did MNHQ post it here?

I read a book about the case, it was horrific.
there are some instances where rehabilitation is considered impossible, and the individual is incarcerated for life. Why not this man?
He raped and murdered 2 schoolgirls and had every chance of getting away with the crime until a woman reported a chance conversation she overheard.

It disgusts me that he is being released

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 yet here we are. Because a degree and passing your time transcribing music into Braille means you are no longer a sexual psychopath

I wonder how people feel about moving this thread to somewhere with more traffic?

Ffs, yet again the safety of women comes 2nd. I utterly despair.

[quote Faffertea]@AssassinatedBeauty
Just out of curiosity did you choose to post this in this section of feminism or did MNHQ post it here?[/quote]
I chose to post this thread here. This is about a man who targeted girls, because of their sex and because he held (holds) misogynistic ideas about them. I don't want this thread moved.

Sickening news, yet again women and girls are let down by the “ justice” system. He should be in for the whole of his natural life, nothing less.

We just don't matter, do we? So sickening.

It's very demoralising to be constantly reminded of how little women and girls matter.

RIP Lynda and Dawn

"He pleaded guilty to both murders in September 1987 and was sentenced to life in January 1988. The judge said the killings were "particularly sadistic" and he doubted Pitchfork would ever be released"

And yet, here we are.

Yes, I think you are right OP.

Why wasn’t it a “whole life order” in the first place? It fits these criteria
Whole life order starting point – the ‘exceptionally high' seriousness category

“The starting point is a whole life order where the seriousness of the offence (or of the offence and other associated offences) is ‘exceptionally high’ and the defendant was aged 21 or over when the offence was committed. Cases that would normally fall into this category include: (a) the murder of two or more people where each murder involves a substantial degree of premeditation/planning, abduction of the victim, or sexual or sadistic conduct; (b) the murder of a child involving the abduction of the child or sexual or sadistic motivation”
www.defence-barrister.co.uk/life-sentences

Why the heck is this in sex and gender??
This is 'mainstream violence of a man against women and girls'.
How can the authorities even consider releasing this man??

@ForeverFaithless it's in this section because I started the thread and I don't see the point of the other section. It's been made quite clear by MNHQ and vociferous posters that women who know what sex is are not welcome in the "chat" section. They are too busy discussing feminist karaoke, face-masks and Tenko to discuss this case.

There is another thread on this in AIBU if that helps. I posted on that thread but it only has a few comments.

Because this shitstain is a MAN and he raped and killed WOMEN. The sex of both the killer and the victims are relevant, because only a man can do what this bastard did, and women are at risk from men because of our sex.

Can we not get sidetracked into MNHQs daft little square dance. If the naice feminists who frequent Feminist Chat want to start a thread on this they are free to. The OP posted it here and doesn't want it moved.

@AssassinatedBeauty
Thanks for your reply. I wasn’t asking as a way of criticising I was just wondering if it had been shunted into the naughty corner Sex and gender debate topic.

@ArabellaStrange I couldn’t agree more, only, who is going to do it? The law protects him.

[quote Trevors]Why wasn’t it a “whole life order” in the first place? It fits these criteria
Whole life order starting point – the ‘exceptionally high' seriousness category

“The starting point is a whole life order where the seriousness of the offence (or of the offence and other associated offences) is ‘exceptionally high’ and the defendant was aged 21 or over when the offence was committed. Cases that would normally fall into this category include: (a) the murder of two or more people where each murder involves a substantial degree of premeditation/planning, abduction of the victim, or sexual or sadistic conduct; (b) the murder of a child involving the abduction of the child or sexual or sadistic motivation”
www.defence-barrister.co.uk/life-sentences[/quote]
Nowadays it would be probable he would get a whole life order.

However, he was sentenced in the 80s, when the laws were very different. He got the maximum he could get at the time, which was a life sentence with a minimum 30 year custodial term.

A whole life order was not an option available to the judge in the late 80s. We can't apply changes to sentencing guidelines retroactively.

How on earth can they tell that he is no longer a risk to women and girls? If only we could tell as easily who are the dangerous ones. With this man’s history it is clear that he is unlikely to change . I’d be really interested to know how he is going to be monitored and by whom.. I have no trust that we will be safe.

He's done a shit load of time.

Loads of men get released after fuck all time having done awful things.

The system needs reforming when it comes to ALL men convicted of sex offences/ DV etc. The public protection needs to come first.

The famous ones there's outcry but there's so many more.

Two lives for the price of one. What a lucky man he is. I hope those responsible for his release are correct and he won't reoffend. I find it hard to fathom the mind of a man who could commit such despicably cruel acts, and how much he could change for the better.

We remember you Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth

Supposedly when asked his motives, he just said "Opportunity. She was there and I was there". Great person to put back out on the streets then