Colin Pitchfork: Double child murderer launches legal bid ahead of parole hearing

A notorious double child murderer has initiated a legal challenge for a judicial review in connection with his parole proceedings. The Parole Board disclosed that Colin Pitchfork is requesting permission for a review concerning "ongoing fresh allegations" about his conduct while incarcerated and the amount of new evidence in the case that he has been allowed to access.

His scheduled oral Parole Board hearing set for October and November has now been postponed indefinitely.

A Parole Board spokesperson said: "Colin Pitchfork was due to have an oral hearing in October and November. However, he asked for the hearing to be adjourned because he was making an application for permission for judicial review.

"The pending judicial review relates to the ongoing fresh allegations and the extent of the new material submitted in the case that he has been permitted to see."

"A panel of the Parole Board sought representations from both parties and agreed to the adjournment request; the oral hearing will be adjourned until further notice. This is because the potential impact of any decision in the judicial review on the oral hearing. "

The spokesperson added: "Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority." Given the active legal proceedings, the Parole Board refrained from further comment.

Pitchfork, now 64 years old, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1988 for the rape and murder of 15 year olds Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth in Leicestershire in 1983 and 1986.

At the age of 27, he became the first man in the UK to be convicted using DNA profiling and was given a minimum jail term of 30 years, which was later reduced to 28 years. Pitchfork was initially released from prison in September 2021, but found himself back behind bars two months later for breaching his licence conditions when he approached a lone woman while litter-picking.