Tag: parole
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Murderer whose vile gang kidnapped, tortured & burned alive 16-year-old girl could walk free as parole hearing date set
A KILLER whose gang murdered a teenage girl while singing “burn, baby burn” could walk free after being granted a parole hearing.
Glyn Powell, 58, was convicted with three others for burning 16-year-old Suzanne Capper alive in Greater Manchester in 1992.
Suzanne Capper was brutally murdered in 1992[/caption]
A spokesman from the Parole Board said a hearing is expected to take place around April 2023, reports the Mail.
After a thorough analysis of the crime, the culprit’s subsequent behaviour, and the effect of the murder on the victim’s family, a decision will be made.
Suzanne was lured to Jean Powell’s house in Moston on December 7, 1992.
There, Jean’s estranged husband and Anthony Dudson forced her down, shaved her head and eyebrows and forced her to clean up and throw away the mess.
The next day, Suzanne was taken to the nearby house of Bernadette McNeilly, another individual she considered a friend.
It was later revealed during the trial that she had been savagely beaten, tortured and tied to a bed over the course of a week.
Before torturing Suzanne, McNeilly would utter the chilling phrase “Chucky’s coming to play”, referencing the 1988 film Child’s Play about a serial killer who transfers his soul into an evil doll.
In the early hours of December 14, 1992, Suzanne was driven 15 miles to an isolated lane on the outskirts of Stockport in Greater Manchester.
She was pushed down, doused with petrol and set alight by killers including Glyn Poweell as McNeilly chanted “Burn baby burn! Burn baby burn!” from The Trammps song Disco Inferno.
She suffered 80 per cent burns and died from her injuries in hospital on December 18, 1992 – but managed to name her killers before losing consciousness.
Glyn Powell, who was 29 at the time of the murder, Jean Powell (now Gillespie), then 26, Bernadette McNeilly, 24, and Anthony Dudson, 17, were all found guilty of murder.
Gillespie, McNeilly, and Powell were sentenced to life with a minimum of 25 years.
Dudson was given a minimum term of 18 years – later reduced to 16.
Clifford Pook, Jean’s brother, and Jeffrey Leigh pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and were given 15 and 12-year sentences respectively.
McNeilly’s sentence was reduced by one year in 2013. Leigh’s sentence was reduced from 12 to nine years in November 1994.
McNeilly was paroled in 2015 after having her 25-year sentence cut by one year. Dudson was released in 2013. In 2017 Jean Gillespie, formerly Powell, was released.
A spokesman for the Parole Board said: “We can confirm the parole review of Glyn Powell has been referred to the Parole Board by the Secretary of State for Justice and is following standard processes.
“Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.
“A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims.
“Evidence from witnesses such as probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists, officials supervising the offender in prison as well as victim personal statements may be given at the hearing.
“It is standard for the prisoner and witnesses to be questioned at length during the hearing which often lasts a full day or more. Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority.”
The upturned bed where Suzanne Capper was held captive and tortured[/caption]
Bernadette McNeilly was paroled in 2015 after having her 25-year sentence cut by one year[/caption]
Jeffrey Leigh was sentenced to 12 years behind bars for his role, but was released after serving five[/caption]
John Capper, step-father of Suzanne, leaving Manchester Crown Court after the sentences were passed[/caption]
One killer would recite samples from 1980s slasher film Child’s Play as Suzanne was being tortured[/caption]
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James Bulger’s mum pleads with PM to keep killer Jon Venables behind bars as parole hearing to be heard ‘within days’
JAMES Bulger’s mum has pleaded with Liz Truss to keep killer Jon Venables behind bars with his parole hearing to be heard “within days”.
Denise Fergus, 53, has written to the PM in a desperate attempt to block her son’s killer from succeeding in his bid for freedom.
James Bulger’s mum Denise Fergus has pleaded for killer Venables to be kept behind bars[/caption]
Little James was just two-years-old when he was tragically killed in 1993[/caption]
The heartbroken mother urged the PM to honour a previous Tory vow to tighten parole laws for dangerous criminals.
Denise wrote to Miss Truss insisting: “He still poses a serious danger to other families like ours.”
Little James was just two-years-old when he was tragically taken and killed by two schoolboys in one of the most horrific crimes of the twentieth century.
The youngster was led to his death in Bootle, Merseyside in 1993, by warped Robert Thompson and Jon Venables.
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The depraved duo were only ten-years-old when they became the country’s youngest murderers in 250 years.
Venables, 40, faces a parole hearing within days and has twice reoffended since murdering the tot, reports The Mirror.
But he could be back on the streets if it is felt he is rehabilitated, having served his minimum sentence for possessing child sex images.
Denise commented: “We need the Prime Minister or her new Justice Secretary to step in immediately to make sure my son’s killer stays firmly behind bars where he belongs. We are calling on them to, please, intervene now.”
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Denise had held a landmark meeting with then Justice Secretary Dominic Raab in June, who promised stricter legislation around the parole given to dangerous offenders.
She described it as “my biggest step forward in 29 years in justice for James”.
But a day after Ms Truss became PM last month, she sacked Mr Raab and shelved the planned Bill of Rights reform
The Bill included laws to strengthen the powers of ministers to veto the release of high-risk prisoners.
Denise said her representatives have sent five emails in the past five weeks to the MoJ asking for an update on previous discussions with Mr Raab but have heard nothing.
She added: “I feel like they’ve cut us off. We’ve not had a single reply to any emails asking what is going on with the assurances that were made.”
Regarding her letter to the PM she said: “I’ve got a list of questions I want to put to her and answers that I need. I don’t want to be fobbed off.
“I am saying exactly how I feel. I’m saying how I feel so let down, again.
“When we had our success with Mr Raab some sceptical people told us not to trust the Tories, but we were certain this was not something they could renege on. But they’ve done it. I guess they were right.”
New Justice Secretary Brandon Lewis can still intervene to halt Venables’ freedom and has reportedly offered to meet Denise next week.
Speaking of Mr Lewis’s offer, Denise added: “This is a positive gesture but there is a time when the talking has to stop and action has to be taken.”
While a MoJ spokesman said of the offer: “He shares her desire to reform the parole process to protect the public from the most dangerous offenders.”
They reportedly pointed out the emails from Denise’s representatives were sent to two people who had left with Mr Raab and hadn’t added forwarding information to their accounts.
After being taken, Venables and Thompson walked James for two and half miles and were spotted by 38 people – some of whom challenged the pair.
The pair told passers-by that the distressed toddler was their younger brother or that he was lost and they were taking him to a local police station.
James was taken to a railway line and tortured, beat and sexually assaulted.
They poured modelling paint into his eyes, stoned him and clubbed him with bricks and dropped a 22lb iron bar on him.
Twisted Venables and Thompson then weighted his head down with rubble and lay him across railway tracks hoping he would be hit by a train to make the murder look like an accident.
Jamie, who suffered 42 injuries in total, was sliced in half by a train and his body discovered two days later.
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The child killers were released aged 18 in 2001 with new identities. Thompson, 39, has not reoffended.
But Venables was sent back to jail in 2010 and 2017 after being caught with child sex abuse images on his PC.