MP Alberto Costa urges PM to change rules on parole hearings after Colin Pitchfork decision

MP Alberto Costa has urged the Prime Minister to set up a meeting about changing the rules that have allowed double murderer Colin Pitchfork to keep seeking parole hearings.

At Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday the South Leicestershire MP said: “Double child rapist and murderer Colin Pitchfork is yet again having another parole hearing in the next few weeks.

“As well as the brutal murders, this man exposed himself to over 1,000 girls and women. The problem is that the reconsideration mechanism rules allow Pitchfork to keep asking for a reconsideration of a reconsidered decision, limitless times and cost-free to him.

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“So can I ask the Prime Minister if he will arrange a meeting between myself and the Justice Secretary to discuss necessary changes to the reconsideration mechanism rules?”

Rishi Sunak replied: “I know that the whole House will join me in recognising the horror of the crimes committed by Colin Pitchfork and sending our condolences to the victims’ families. We are reforming the parole system to add a ministerial check on the release of the most dangerous criminals and changing the law so that for society’s most depraved killers – life means life.”

Mr Costa and Bosworth MP Dr Luke Evans have already held one meeting with Justice Secretary Alex Chalk about the Parole Board rules, last month. Pitchfork was released in September 2021 but was back behind bars two months later after breaching his parole conditions.

In June last year, the Parole Board agreed he could be released, but this was later reversed on appeal. In December, he appealed this and, in February, the Parole Board granted his application to seek release on the grounds its previous decision had been irrational.

It was the first time that the Secretary of State, and then subsequently the prisoner, had successfully applied to the Parole Board for reconsideration.

Mr Costa said last month: “I think the Parole Board do an excellent job overall, but I cannot believe we are in a position where Colin Pitchfork has successfully managed to claim a decision not to release him is irrational.”

Mr Chalk said in response: “In the Sentencing Bill, we have a proposal such that people who commit crimes of murder involving sexual and sadistic conduct will not be released, because they will be expected to serve a whole-life order.”

Pitchfork raped and murdered Lynda Mann in November 1983, in Narborough. He killed Dawn Ashworth in July 1986, and left her body in Ten Pound Lane, also in Narborough.

Pitchfork was jailed for life, with a minimum of 30 years, in 1988, later reduced on appeal to 28 years.