‘Horrified’ family of Colin Pitchfork’s victim warn ‘he will kill another innocent child’ as double murderer to be freed
THE "horrified" family of one Colin Pitchfork’s schoolgirl victims has warned “he will kill another child” after he is freed.
As the evil double killer, prepares for his release, the dejected partner of Lynda Mann’s mum Kath Eastwood said they had “lost our fight” and were “horrified he’s walking free”.
Pitchfork was given a life sentence with a minimum 30-year term after raping and strangling 15-year-olds Lynda and Dawn Ashworth in Leicestershire in the 1980s.
The monster, 61, was ruled suitable for release by the Parole Board in March this year despite outrage from his victims' families.
The government also mounted a bid to stop the double killer's release, arguing it was "irrational" to let him go free. Today the Parole Board refused the appeal.
Pitchfork - who has changed his name to David Thorpe - is expected to leave HMP Leyhill, an open prison in Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, within the next few days.
Earlier this year the Parole Board deemed the 61-year-old - the first murderer to be convicted using DNA evidence - is no longer a danger to the public after being turned down for release on two previous occasions.
'WASTE OF SPACE'
The monster raped and strangled Lynda as she made her way home from babysitting in Narborough on November 21, 1983.
Lynda’s mum and partner Mick, who knew the schoolgirl, had battled for him to stay locked up for life.
Mick said: “Victim Support told us this morning that he was being freed. It’s not what we wanted to hear. We don’t welcome it.
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"They said tough restrictions would be imposed and he will banned from stepping foot into Leicestershire. He better not dare!
“The Ministry of Justice is a waste of space. It is just a title and has no proper power.
“The judge at his trial said he should never be allowed out and now they’ve gone against that.”
'NO JUSTICE'
Mick, who did not give his surname, told The Sun Online: “We don't feel justice has really been done.”
Last month Kath, 72, said of her daughter’s killer: "He should never walk free to breathe fresh air again.”
In an exclusive interview with The Sun Online, she said: “I don’t believe he’s been rehabilitated. He will strike again, he will kill another innocent child.”
Kath, who had appealed the Parole Board’s decision, said: “He'll always be a danger to society, he’ll never reform and he knows how to work the system.
He should never walk free to breathe fresh air again
Lynda's mum Kath
"He’s evil through and through and you can't change that. He should be locked up for life. I’m horrified at the thought that he could soon be freed.”
Kath, who has two other daughters but still misses Lynda every day and keeps treasured photos of her at her home, added: “Time doesn’t heal, it get’s worse. I’ve spent half of my life without my daughter.
"But for him life gets better. It seems very unjust."
'I STILL MISS HER'
Kath, who is divorced from her husband, added: "We were so close and I still miss her.
"I keep photos of her around the house so I can always see her and I still go to the cemetery to remember her whenever I can get there."
"I still feel close to Lynda. She was my middle daughter. She was a pretty girl and she loved life and had ambitions."
The decision has also been slammed by Dawn's mother Barbara, who said it was "disappointing".
She said: "Well obviously I've had 33 years of it and it's all been said and as far as I'm concerned he's going to be out in amongst the public so it speaks for itself."
Time doesn’t heal, it get’s worse. I’ve spent half of my life without my daughter
Heartbroken Kath
Pitchfork was the first person in the world to be convicted using DNA evidence when he was locked up for life with a minimum of 30 years.
Three years after Lynda's murder, Dawn vanished on the short walk to her home in the neighbouring village of Enderby.
Her body was discovered in the corner of a field hidden under branches.
In 2009, Pitchfork's minimum sentence was reduced from 30 years to 28 years.
The fiend, who was pictured on day release in 2017 wandering through Bristol, applied for parole in 2018 but his plea was rejected.
But the matter was reconsidered in June this year and the Parole Board deemed he was no longer a danger to the public.
'CAPACITY TO DECEIVE'
The body trawled through more than 1,100 pages of information, victim statements, evidence from Pitchfork and his probation officers, police and a psychologist.
They found he thought "about sex a lot", used "violence and excessive force" and "sex to demonstrate power and control over women" while offending.
The experts also said he "struggled" to cope with anger and loneliness and had a willingness to "seek revenge" but had changed behind bars.
But the government argued he had the "capacity to manipulate and deceive the professionals he had worked with" in their appeal.
They also revealed how Pitchfork gave a shop assistant chocolates while out on day release and lied about being married.
The predator will have to live at a certain address, take part in probation supervision, wear an electronic tag and will have limits on his contact with children once freed.
He will also be subject to a curfew, have restrictions on using technology and limitations on where he can go.
'HE IS A PSYCHOPATH'
The decision to release the brute was slammed by the families of both Lynda and Dawn last month.
Dawn's mum Barbara said at the time: "My world has been shattered by this man. He can’t hurt me any more than he has already by killing my daughter, but there will be other 15-year-old girls in the streets.
"If he was released, he could search for any victim he wanted to. He is a psychopath who should be kept in prison where he belongs.
"I would fully support Robert Buckland in trying to stop him from being released, absolutely."
Justice Secretary Robert Buckland tweeted: "I'm disappointed the Parole Board has turned down my request to reconsider releasing Colin Pitchfork.
"But it is independent of Government and I respect the Judge's decision.
"We'll be conducting a root-and-branch review later this year to make sure the public are better protected."
While Lynda’s mum Kath said Pitchfork should be “locked up forever”.
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A Parole Board spokesman said in a statement: "The Parole Board has immense sympathy for the families of Dawn Ashworth and Lynda Mann and recognises the pain and anguish they have endured and continue to endure through the parole process.
"However, Parole Board panels are bound by law to assess whether a prisoner is safe to release. It has no power to alter the original sentence set down by the courts. Legislation dictates that a panel's decision must be solely focused on what risk a prisoner may pose on release and whether that risk can be managed in the community.
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"As made clear in the reconsideration decision, release was supported by all of the Secretary of State's witnesses during Mr Pitchfork's review."
