Yahoo News Apology after Julie Hogg's exasperated son hears of killer's parole hearing date through media
The son of a Billingham woman murdered in 1989 has expressed exasperation after learning the parole hearing date of his mum's killer through the media.
Kevin Hogg, who was just three when his mum Julie was brutally murdered by Billy Dunlop, said his family feels let down by the treatment they have received. Having been told of the new parole hearing date via the media, he said they have yet to receive official confirmation in writing.
He says he informed his own victim liaison officer of the new December date after seeing it confirmed on the Parole Board website. HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has apologised and blamed miscommunication, however, Mr Hogg pointed out this apology was made through the media, rather than directly to the family.
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Describing their treatment as "a shambles", he told Teesside Live: "The buck is passed about over whose fault it is when all we want something formal." Their concerns surround "communication and transparency", he said, and finding out information from the media rather than through the "correct channels".
"Why have they issued an apology through the media and we have heard nothing from them directly?" he said. "They have issued a statement saying it's been a communication error but they still haven't even confirmed the hearing date to us in writing. It seems if the media are involved it strong-arms them into making a comment."
It is believed the information was provided to the victims' team but there was a misunderstanding over whether this was the final confirmed date. A spokesperson for the Parole Board said they work with the team at HMPPS to inform then of the hearing dates, who would then inform the victim liaison officer, "and this is what occurred in this case".
A HMPPS spokesperson said: "When the Parole Board decides a hearing should be public, this information including confirmed dates of hearings should be relayed to the victims. We apologise that this did not happen in this case due to miscommunication between staff and for the distress it has caused.”
The public parole hearing in December will decide whether or not Dunlop could be transferred to an open prison or be released. The new date comes after a hearing in June was delayed at the last minute after new information came to light.
Julie's mum, Ann Ming, who had travelled down to London's Court of Appeal for the hearing, complained to the Parole Board following the adjournment and could be heard saying, "It's absolutely disgraceful". Her grandson told Teesside Live they feel they are being "constantly re-victimised" and "retraumatised". He said they deserve an explanation as to "why we have been let down continuously for 35 years and that lessons still aren’t being learnt."
Dunlop was given a life sentence in 2006 after Mrs Ming fought to overturn the archaic 800-year-old 'double jeopardy' law. Her daughter’s killer had managed to evade justice after two juries failed to reach a verdict.
When later serving time behind bars for another crime, Dunlop confessed to his abhorrent crime and admitted lying in court. He boasted there was nothing anyone could do about it because of the double jeopardy rule in place at the time.
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