Child murderer Colin Pitchfork sent to closed prison with no chance of release until at least 2023

Colin Pitchfork was put back behind bars last week after breaching his parole conditions. Credit: PA

  • Words by ITV News UK Producer Nathan Lee

ITV News understands that double child murderer Colin Pitchfork has been sent to a 'closed' prison, with no chance of release until 2023 at the earliest.

He was arrested and sent back to prison on Friday after approaching 'several' young women while out on walks.

Although no offences were committed or reported, the approaches were a breach of the licence conditions given to him on his release from prison in September earlier this year.

The conditions were the strictest to have ever been issued and therefore he was under much closer supervision than other offenders.

Mum of teenager raped and killed by Pitchfork tells of relief he is back in jail

A source claims that Pitchfork was being watched by the Probation Service when he made the approaches.

The recall of Pitchfork to prison will raise questions about the Parole Board's decision to release him in the first place and the fact that Pitchfork has been sent to a 'closed' prison, rather than an 'open' prison - like the one he was in for three years before his release - will only increase the scrutiny on the Parole Board.

In 1983 Colin Pitchfork murdered 15-year-old Lynda Mann in Narborough, Leicestershire, and three years later went on to murder Dawn Ashworth, also 15, in the neighbouring village of Enderby.

Lynda Mann (left) and Dawn Ashworth were raped and murdered by Colin Pitchfork.

He was the first person to be convicted using DNA evidence and in 1988 was jailed for a minimum of 30 years.

In 28 days from the day of his recall, the Parole Board will meet and they'll agree that he needs a full parole hearing, which will likely be at the end of Spring 2022.

At the meeting in Spring/Summer, the board will discuss whether to move Pitchfork from a closed prison to an open prison, rather than being released altogether.

Even if Pitchfork passes the assessments, the earliest time frame for a potential release isn't until 2023 and given the breach of his licence on his previous release, it's doubtful he'd be considered for release at that stage too.

A Parole Board spokesperson said: “Parole Board panels rely heavily on the evidence of professional witnesses who have the benefit of monitoring and working closely with an offender throughout their sentence.

“The Parole Board’s judicial decision to release Mr Pitchfork was made in May and followed consideration of extensive evidence from his community probation officer, prison probation officer and prison psychologist, who all supported his release. The Secretary of State at the time was also represented at the hearing and did not oppose release at the hearing."