COLIN PITCHFORK'S SHOCKING RELEASE FROM PRISON IN ENDERBY AND NARBOROUGH SPARKS OUTRAGE

In a development that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Enderby, Littlethorpe, and Narborough, Colin Pitchfork, the notorious double child killer, has been granted permission for unsupervised day releases from prison. This decision has ignited fierce anger among the families of his victims and concerned members of the public who believe that such a dangerous individual should remain behind bars.

Colin Pitchfork, now 55 years old, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1988 after being convicted of the brutal rape and murder of two 15-year-old girls, Lynda Mann from Narborough and Dawn Ashworth from Enderby. His case was groundbreaking as he became the first person in history to be convicted based on DNA fingerprinting evidence, a pioneering forensic technique developed by scientists at the University of Leicester. His arrest followed the largest DNA screening effort in the UK at the time, involving over 20,000 local men from the villages of Enderby, Narborough, and Littlethorpe.

Pitchfork’s crimes shocked the nation. On November 21, 1983, Lynda Mann left her home in Narborough to visit a friend's house but never arrived. Her body was discovered the following morning along a deserted footpath known locally as the Black Pad, where she had been raped and strangled. Forensic evidence at the time linked semen found on her body to a man with blood type A and an enzyme profile that matched only 10 percent of males, but no immediate suspect was identified.

Three years later, on July 31, 1986, Dawn Ashworth took a shortcut home in Enderby, which led to her tragic death. Her body was found two days later in a wooded area near a footpath called Ten Pound Lane. She had been beaten, raped, and strangled in a manner strikingly similar to Lynda’s murder. Semen samples from Dawn’s case revealed the same blood type, confirming that the same perpetrator was responsible for both crimes.

Initially, the police suspected a local 17-year-old named Richard Buckland, who was known to have knowledge of Dawn’s body and admitted to the crime during questioning. However, DNA profiling, a new technique at the time, developed by Alec Jeffreys and colleagues, proved that Buckland was not the killer. Jeffreys’ groundbreaking work allowed forensic scientists to compare semen samples from both murders and conclusively establish that the same man was responsible, but not Buckland.

Following this breakthrough, the Leicestershire Constabulary launched an extensive investigation, asking over 5,000 local men to volunteer blood or saliva samples in a mass screening effort. The process took six months, but no match was initially found. However, a significant lead emerged when a bakery worker named Ian Kelly was overheard boasting that he had received £200 for providing a sample while impersonating Pitchfork. This revelation led to the arrest of Colin Pitchfork on September 19, 1987, at his home in Littlethorpe, a village near Enderby. A DNA sample taken from him matched the evidence from the crime scenes.

During police questioning, Pitchfork admitted to a pattern of flashing women over a thousand times since his early teens, which escalated into sexual assaults and eventually murder when he strangled his victims to conceal his identity. He pleaded guilty to the two murders, as well as additional sexual offenses. At the time of the murders, Pitchfork was living in Littlethorpe and had previously resided in Newbold Verdon, where he attended school in Market Bosworth and Desford before marrying in 1981.

Despite his life sentence, Pitchfork’s case has been subject to ongoing review. In 2009, his minimum term was reduced from 30 to 28 years, making him eligible for parole in 2016. The Parole Board has since begun a review of his case, with the Secretary of State for Justice referring it for assessment. The process typically takes around six months, and the decision will determine whether Pitchfork can be released on open conditions, also known as Category D prison status.

Families of the victims remain deeply concerned. Lynda’s sister, Rebecca Eastwood, expressed her outrage, stating, “It’s only a couple of months since we were told that he was being allowed out under the escort of a guard. The news he is to be allowed out without an escort has come as a real shock to us. It all seems to be moving so quickly. If it carries on like this, it’s only going to be a matter of months before he’s allowed out on his own for weeks at a time.” She emphasized that Pitchfork remains a danger, especially since his current appearance and whereabouts are unknown, and he is not permitted to approach any of his victims’ families.

In response, a letter from the Ministry of Justice stated that “a series of unescorted releases on temporary licence will be happening in the near future,” with a “robust risk management plan” in place. The decision to move Pitchfork to an open prison was made after assessments by probation officers and specialists, although the location of the facility was not disclosed to the families. Public opposition has been strong, with over 20,000 signatures on an online petition initiated by Lynda’s family, alongside an additional 7,000 signatures on a paper petition, all calling for his release to be blocked.

Colin Pitchfork’s case remains one of the most significant in UK criminal history, not only because of the crimes he committed but also due to the groundbreaking forensic techniques that led to his conviction. His life and potential release continue to evoke intense debate about justice, public safety, and the rehabilitation of convicted offenders.