On October 30, 2025, the Parole Board delivered a decision that reverberated throughout the United Kingdom: Colin Pitchfork, the notorious double child murderer and rapist, will remain behind bars. The ruling comes after years of legal wrangling, public outcry, and repeated reviews of Pitchfork’s suitability for release—a saga that continues to stir debate over the balance between rehabilitation and public safety.
Pitchfork, now 65, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1988 for the harrowing rapes and murders of two 15-year-old girls, Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth, in Leicestershire. The crimes, committed in 1983 and 1986, shocked the nation and marked a pivotal moment in criminal justice history: Pitchfork became the first person in the world to be convicted using DNA profiling, according to BBC News. His arrest followed an unprecedented mass DNA screening of 5,000 men, a testament to both the gravity of his offenses and the determination of law enforcement to bring him to justice.
At the time of his first crime, Pitchfork was a 22-year-old baker, married with two sons, living in the rural village of Littlethorpe. In November 1983, he left his baby son sleeping in the back of his car while he raped and strangled Lynda Mann in Narborough. He then drove home and put his son to bed, an act that would later be described by the sentencing judge as part of a pattern of “particularly sadistic” killings. Three years later, less than a mile from where Lynda died, Pitchfork repeated his crimes with Dawn Ashworth. The pathologist who examined Dawn’s body called it a “brutal sexual assault.”
The initial investigation was marred by tragedy upon tragedy: police arrested a local 17-year-old who falsely confessed to one of the murders. It was only through the pioneering use of DNA technology—after Pitchfork persuaded a colleague to take the test for him in an attempt to evade justice—that the true perpetrator was finally identified. Pitchfork pleaded guilty to both murders in September 1987 and was sentenced to life imprisonment in January 1988. The judge, reflecting the prevailing sentiment, expressed doubt that Pitchfork would ever be released.
Yet, the story did not end there. Pitchfork’s minimum term was originally set at 30 years, but in 2009, the Court of Appeal reduced it to 28 years for what was described as “exceptional progress”—a decision that drew sharp criticism from the victims’ families. Over the decades, Pitchfork’s journey through the prison system was marked by periodic assessments of his risk to the public. He was moved to an undisclosed open prison before January 2017, after requesting release.
In June 2021, the Parole Board deemed him suitable for release, subject to strict conditions. However, only months later, Pitchfork was recalled to prison after he was found to have approached young women—a violation of his parole conditions. Notably, the Parole Board would later determine that this recall was “inappropriate,” as Pitchfork had not ventured anywhere he was forbidden to go, and one of the conditions of his release—a requirement to take polygraph tests—was found to be unlawful.
Despite these complications, the Parole Board again granted him parole in 2023. This decision, however, faced immediate pushback. Then-Justice Secretary Alex Chalk challenged the ruling, and a fresh hearing was ordered on grounds of “irrationality.” Pitchfork’s own legal maneuvers further delayed proceedings, as he launched a judicial review over access to materials concerning new allegations about his behavior in prison. In May and June 2025, a Parole Board panel convened but had to adjourn, citing insufficient time to hear all the evidence.
The latest Parole Board decision, announced on October 30, 2025, put an end—at least for now—to the prospect of Pitchfork’s release. In a summary of its findings, the Board stated: “After considering the circumstances of his offending, the progress made while in custody, and on licence, and the evidence presented at the hearing, the panel was not satisfied that release at this point would be safe for the protection of the public.” The panel emphasized that Pitchfork “only had limited internal controls and poor insight into his risky thinking and behaviour.” Most notably, the Board identified a “new previously unidentified risk” related to Pitchfork’s custodial behavior—a risk that, according to the panel, “was yet to be properly explored or addressed.”
The Board also refused Pitchfork’s transfer to an open prison, citing insufficient progress in addressing and reducing his risk. They concluded that any further work on his offending behavior would need to be completed in a closed prison setting. While Pitchfork is eligible to apply for another parole review “in due course,” he now has 21 days to request reconsideration of the latest decision.
The reaction from public officials was immediate and emphatic. South Leicestershire MP Alberto Costa, who has long campaigned on behalf of the victims’ families, welcomed the ruling. “At 65 years old, he still has decades of life ahead of him and the capacity to pose a real risk to the public, that is why I welcome the Parole Board’s decision today,” Costa told BBC News. “Their job is to assess risk, and it is obvious to me that the world is a far more dangerous place if Pitchfork is released.” Costa added that the decision would bring some reassurance to the families of Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth, as well as to the wider public.
Pitchfork’s case has long been a touchstone in the national debate over parole for violent offenders. Supporters of the Parole Board’s cautious approach point to the severity and sadism of his crimes, the enduring pain felt by the victims’ families, and the ongoing uncertainties about his risk to the public. Critics, meanwhile, have questioned the fairness of indefinite detention beyond a minimum term, especially where parole recall procedures or legal technicalities have come into play.
For now, the Parole Board’s decision underscores the gravity with which the system treats cases involving the most serious offenders. With new risk factors identified and unresolved, and with public safety paramount, Colin Pitchfork will remain in prison. The story of his crimes, his capture, and the ongoing struggle over his fate continues to serve as a stark reminder of both the promise and the limits of justice.
