A British Airways captain who bludgeoned his spouse to demise 13 years in the past has had his automated launch from jail blocked by the Justice Secretary.
Robert Brown beat his spouse Joanna Simpson to demise with a claw hammer of their household residence in October 2010, as their two younger kids cowered in a playroom.
Alex Chalk has confirmed he’ll use new powers to cease Brown being launched robotically and as an alternative get the case reviewed by the Parole Board.
The announcement marks a victory for Ms Simpson’s family members who’ve been calling for such a transfer.
Brown was cleared of homicide, having admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished duty, and was attributable to be launched on licence subsequent month after serving 13 years of a 26-year sentence.
Mr Chalk’s referral – which was enabled following modifications launched by way of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 – overrides Brown’s automated launch.
The Parole Board, an unbiased physique that carries out danger assessments on prisoners to find out whether or not they are often safely launched, will decide on whether or not to launch Brown in the end, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) mentioned.
Mr Chalk’s referral has been made beneath “energy to detain” provisions.
These are designed to guard the general public from harmful offenders in the event that they current a major danger of inflicting severe hurt that can not be safely managed by way of typical licence circumstances, the My mentioned.
Mr Chalk mentioned: “Joanna Simpson was bludgeoned and buried by the hands of Robert Brown, which left two kids with out a mom and induced irreparable hurt to her household and family members.
“I made a dedication to Joanna’s household that I might give this case my closest private consideration.
“Having reviewed all the data obtainable to me, I’ve blocked Brown’s automated launch and referred this case to the Parole Board utilizing powers we launched to guard the general public from essentially the most harmful offenders.”
Family members and buddies of Ms Simpson had referred to as on Mr Chalk to dam her killer’s automated launch and refer the case to the Parole Board.
Ms Simpson’s mom Diana Parkes mentioned she is “delighted” by his intervention, and urged the Parole Board to “preserve him in jail”.
“Having to constantly relive my daughter’s brutal killing is emotionally exhausting,” she mentioned in a press release.
“We hope that the Parole Board will respect how harmful Robert Brown is and we worry for the security of our household, Jo’s buddies and any feminine he could type a relationship with sooner or later.”
Final month, Ms Simpson’s greatest good friend Hetti Barkworth-Nanton, who additionally chairs home abuse charity Refuge, informed BBC Breakfast the prospect of Brown’s imminent launch made her really feel “bodily sick”.
Reacting to the most recent improvement, she mentioned in a press release: “We respect (the Justice Secretary) this case together with his closest private consideration and realising that Robert Brown is a hazard to the general public.
“While immediately has been a victory for Diana Parkes, Joanna’s kids, myself and Joanna’s wider household and buddies, we all know the struggle doesn’t and gained’t finish right here, we now hope that the parole board sees the extent of hazard that Brown poses and makes the choice to dam his launch.”
Brown, previously of Winkfield in Berkshire, was sentenced to 24 years for manslaughter and an additional two years for an offence of obstructing a coroner within the execution of his obligation.
He killed Ms Simpson one week earlier than the finalisation of their divorce and dumped her physique in a makeshift coffin in Windsor Nice Park.
The Parole Board has been approached for remark.