Mother 'terrified' after ruling upheld that her daughter's killer be released from prison

The mother of a woman who was murdered in 1997 has said she is 'terrified' after the Parole Board refused to overturn a decision to release her daughter's killer. Farm worker Steven Ling has served 27 years in prison after being given a life sentence for the murder of 29-year-old Joanne Tulip.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood previously asked the Parole Board to reconsider its recommendation that Ling should be released from custody on licence. Ling murdered Joanne on Christmas Day 1997 and though he admitted rape this charge remained on file.

On Tuesday a spokesperson for the board confirmed that it would not be changing its decision. A spokesperson for the Parole Board said: “A judge at the Parole Board considered the application for reconsideration and has decided, based on the evidence, that it will be refused."

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They added: "Decisions of the Parole Board are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public and whether that risk is manageable in the community. When assessing the reconsideration application, the judge recognised the very significant gravity of the case and the profound ongoing impact on the victim’s family.”

Ling will be released on licence. This means that if he commits any other offence or breaks any conditions that are set for his release he will be returned to prison.

The Parole Board's upholding of its previous decision has been criticised by Joanne's mother Doreen Soulsby. Mrs Soulsby has said that she has been left 'terrified' and 'worried' at the prospect of his release.

She said: “A dangerous man who committed the most horrific and sadistic crimes will now be released straight out into the community and will be roaming our streets. I am now very worried and terrified about the release of my daughter’s murderer.

“As a mother, the pain of losing my daughter will never fade. The impact of Joanne’s brutal murder and rape will be felt forever. Knowing Joanne’s murderer is being released feels like a betrayal caused by our justice system.

“I strongly fear that any woman that Ling becomes involved with will not be safe.”

Mrs Soulsby added: “Given today’s outcome, the public’s confidence in our justice system will be broken and shattered forever with no way of repairing it. How can anyone have faith in our justice system when victims get these outcomes?”

Newcastle Crown Court heard at the time that Ling had been inspired to murder Joanne by 'sadism'. He killed her by stabbing her 60 times.

Ling also accepts that he also raped Joanne, though a rape charge remained on file so he has never been registered as a sex offender. In its ruling the Parole Board said: "Mr Ling has always accepted that he raped the victim."

According to the Parole Board, the judge who considered the application from the Secretary of State said: “Having had the advantage of hearing and assessing all of the evidence, which of course included the evidence of (Steven Ling), a very experienced panel provided a fair and comprehensive decision which clearly considered all of the evidence with great care and considerable sensitivity.

“The panel in my judgment satisfied the public law duty to provide evidence-based reasons that fully and sufficiently justified and explained the various conclusions that it reached. In my judgment it cannot be sensibly argued that this was a decision that no reasonable panel could have come to.”

Ling was given a life sentence with a minimum of 20 years in prison, which was later reduced to 18 years. Sentencing him at the time, when he was 23 years old, Mr Justice Potts told him: “You will never be released so long as it is thought you constitute a danger to women.”

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Joanne Tulip at this difficult time. We are disappointed with this outcome but respect the independent Parole Board’s decision.

“Ling will be on licence for the rest of his life, with strict conditions and probation supervision after he is released, and he faces an immediate return to prison if he breaks the rules.”