Patrick Mackay: Britain's longest serving prisoner could be released before Christmas

• Video report by ITV News Meridian's John Ryall

Britain's longest serving prisoner convicted of three brutal killings, could be released before Christmas.

Patrick Mackay, 69, who's formerly from the Dartford area of Kent has served nearly 50 years in jail.

He killed a Catholic priest in the village of Shorne near Gravesend in the 1970s.

Detectives believe he may have been responsible for as many as 11 deaths.

The thought of Mackay being released has shocked former detective, Peter Bleksley.

He said: "I'm utterly appalled at the prospect of Patrick Mackay ever being released.

"He was convicted of three separate murders, albeit a long time ago, and if we look at his prior offending that led to those crimes there was an escalation.

"He was an extremely dangerous man and I'm far from convinced that he's no longer a danger."

He added: "All the victims were vulnerable - two very elderly ladies and a man of the clergy alone in their homes - extremely vulnerable in places where they probably thought they were the safest.

"He exploited that, he murdered them, he cut short their lives and there are some people whose offending is so far beyond the pale that they really must gasp their last breath behind bars."

A hearing for Mackay's parole review is due to take place in November.