Child killer Colin Pitchfork bragged about his notoriety before prison recall
Child killer Colin Pitchfork bragged about his notoriety to probation staff before he was recalled to prison, documents reveal.
The monster, 63, told bosses at a probation hostel "she would not have managed such a high profile case as his [case] before". And parole chiefs believe he "enjoyed some of his notoriety" after he walked free from jail. Fresh details have emerged after the Parole Board was ordered to give the sadistic killer a new chance at freedom.
Pitchfork - jailed in 1998 for raping and strangling 15-year-olds Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth - whined that the decision should be overturned. A new parole hearing will now take place which could allow the monster to be released from jail.
In documents seen by the Mirror, it emerged Pitchfork "had presented 'evidence of grandiosity and propensity for grievance thinking'". In documents ordering a fresh parole hearing, judge Sir Stephen Silber wrote: "The panel said that he was giving the impression that 'he was more important than others in the hostel and that he enjoyed some of his notoriety'."
It was also suggested that Pitchfork has developed an "intimate friendship" with a female pal after he was granted days out of prison in 2017. Parole papers state: "In the three years between 2017 and 2020 before the pandemic 'very little of concern emerged on 17 ROTLs (released on temporary licence) to approved premises' and 'the intimate friendship, which had developed between [Pitchfork] and [his female friend] over the last few years, has been sustained'."
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Lynda Mann was just 15 (ENTERPRISE NEWS AND PICTURES)
Dawn Ashworth, 15 (ENTERPRISE NEWS AND PICTURES)As part of his parole conditions, Pitchfork was "not to remain in the company of any lone female who is not known to [him]". But during a polygraph test he was asked if he "had spoken to any lone females to which the Applicant replied that he had just done so in the car park outside the Probation Office in 'just a passing conversation' explaining to the female where she might get a better view of the ships as he was 'trying to be helpful'."
Pitchfork was jailed for a minimum of 30 years, later reduced to 28 years, for raping and strangling Lynda and Dawn in 1983 and 1986 respectively. He was released in September 2021 but then recalled. In June he was again granted parole but ministers challenged this. In December the Parole Board decided against freeing him.
But now, after he complained the hearing had failed to take comments from his offender manager into account, parole chiefs have been ordered to give him a fresh hearing. Dawn's mother, Barbara Ashworth, said: "Words fail me now. He seems to want to fight no matter what. I just don't know where to go next, to be honest. He's killed two schoolgirls. I know what I'd do, I'd throw away the key."
Pitchfork's challenge was successful as a review concluded the parole panel "had a duty to take the prison offender manager's recommendation into account" but had failed to do so. The Parole Board said: "The panel's decision was provisional and either Mr Pitchfork or the secretary of state could make an application for reconsideration."
Pitchfork, now using the name David Thorpe, killed the girls in Leicestershire villages. He will stay in jail while a fresh panel looks at his case.
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