Steven Ling: 'Sadistic' killer of Joanne Tulip to be freed from prison after judge refuses appeal

Northumberland Correspondent Tom Barton spoke to the mother of Joanne Tulip on the day it was confirmed her killer would be released

The mother of a Northumberland woman who was raped and murdered said she is "terrified" by the confirmation that her daughter's killer is to be freed, on parole.

Doreen Soulsby told ITV Tyne Tees she was shocked to hear on Tuesday (22 October) that the Parole Board had upheld its decision to release Steven Ling - warning his offending "will happen again".

The "sadistic" killer raped and stabbed Ms Soulsby's daughter Joanne Tulip 60 times in Stamfordham on Christmas Day 1997. He was jailed for life after admitting the murder and after spending this century behind bars, will be freed.

Ms Soulsby 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.”

Doreen Soulsby says she fears for the safety of women following his release

Following his fifth parole hearing, Ling was recommended for release into the community, subject to conditions including informing authorities of any relationships he might develop; being subject to monitoring and a curfew, and remaining outside an exclusion zone to avoid contact with his victim’s family.

The Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood asked the Parole Board to reconsider the recommendation to release him on the basis that it was 'legally irrational'.

However, on the Parole Board confirmed this application had been rejected and its original decision had been upheld, meaning the killer would be released.

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.

"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."

The Judge was quoted by the spokesperson as saying: "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.”

The Parole Board spokesperson added: "Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority."

Ling, a farm worker, was inspired to murder Ms Tulip on Christmas Day 1997 by sadism, Newcastle Crown Court heard at the time.

A charge of rape was left on file during the original court case, so he is not a convicted sex offender. However in its ruling, the Parole Board said: “Mr Ling has always accepted that he raped the victim.”

Ms Soulsby said she had lost confident in the Parole Board and the justice system, labelling it "not fit for purpose".

"We haven't got justice for Joanne because if he had done that offence post the 2003 Sexual Offences Act he would have got starting 30 years," said Ms Soulsby.

"And depending on the severity of the offence it could been more and we haven't even got to 30 years yet. It's all this roundabout of Parole reviews every two years and you're never off the roundabout because by the time you get the result of one, you're being asked for personal statements for the next.

"So there'll be a relief there - but [I'm] very very unhappy that I haven't succeeded in keeping him in [prison]...I just don't know what to do now, apart from the Judicial Review. I feel powerless now."

During sentencing, Mr Justice Potts told Ling, who was 23 at the time of the murder: "You will never be released so long as it is thought you constitute a danger to women."

He was given life with a minimum term of 20 years, which was reduced to 18 years by the High Court.

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.”

The only route to further challenge this decision is via judicial review.

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