Killer giving evidence in private at parole hearing ‘a farce’ – victim’s mother

A decision for a murderer to give evidence at his public parole hearing in private has been branded a “farce” by the mother of his victim.

Steven Ling (pictured), a farm worker, was jailed for life in December 1998 after stabbing 29-year-old Joanne Tulip 60 times during sex, in Stamfordham, Northumberland, on Christmas Day a year earlier. A charge of rape was left on file.

In April last year, Caroline Corby, the chairwoman of the Parole Board for England and Wales, granted an application for Ling’s fifth parole hearing to be held in public – but on the first day of proceedings, the panel chair said Ling’s evidence would be heard in private.

Ms Tulip’s mother, Doreen Soulsby, told the PA news agency: “It’s just a farce.

“The fact that you can’t see or hear the offender is just ridiculous for it to be a public hearing.”

Ling opted not to appear on camera during the hearing.

Ms Soulsby, who watched proceedings via a link, said she felt that there was a lack of consideration for victims’ families.

She applied for proceedings to be held in public and said hearing Ling’s evidence was the reason she did so.

“I thought, at last, he is going to be accountable for what he has done, he will have to face it all,” she told PA.

Parole reviews typically take place behind closed doors, but legal reforms that came into force in 2022 allow some to be heard in public, when requested, in a bid to remove the secrecy around the process.

The panel chair said on Tuesday they considered hearing part of his oral evidence in public, but “recent developments have satisfied me as panel chair that this would not give you (Ling) the opportunity to contribute your best evidence”.

The media made a request to challenge the decision, but were told they could not address the panel.

A Parole Board spokesperson said in a statement: “To ensure the panel could make a fair and informed decision based on the risk he presents to the public, it was very recently decided that Steven Ling’s evidence should be held in the private section of the hearing.

“This was to ensure there is opportunity for him to give his best evidence, and his ability to speak openly about specific areas of interest to the panel.

“The Parole Board understands that the public hearing attendees, especially the victims, were disappointed by these developments. We are very sorry that the victims were unable to observe all of the proceedings and understand the impact that this has had on them and their understanding of the process.”

Statements from Ms Tulip’s family were also heard in private and were described by the panel chair as “extremely moving”.

She said: “There can be no doubt that Ms Tulip’s murder has caused lifelong harm.”

Ling’s prison offender manager gave evidence in public on Tuesday, telling the panel that Ling has been afforded “the highest level of trust” in prison.

She said her professional assessment is that he meets the test for release, but that her “preference” is he be moved to “open conditions” first where he can gain confidence in his ability to be in the community after 25 years in custody.

The proceedings heard that Ling has been struggling with anxiety and stress, which his prison offender manager said was linked to “the fear of judgment, shame, guilt” from his offending.

She also said that he has “always” been aware of the impact of his offending on Ms Tulip’s family.

“He finds it very difficult to align himself with the person he was who committed that crime,” she said.

She added that Ling knows “nothing he can say or do will ever make amends for what happened”.

There has also been confusion over the spelling of Ling’s first name with official records differing over the years, but the Parole Board and Ministry of Justice have since corrected and confirmed the spelling.

The decision to hear Ling’s evidence in private follows the news which emerged last Thursday that double child killer Colin Pitchfork’s next parole hearing will no longer be held in public due to “unforeseeable developments including fresh allegations”.

The Parole Board said that the allegations were “in respect of relatively recent conduct” and apologised for the “increased stress” on the families of the victims.

Pitchfork, 64, was jailed for life in 1988 after raping and strangling 15-year-old girls Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth in Leicestershire in 1983 and 1986.

In June, there was a last-minute delay in murderer William Dunlop’s public parole hearing, which was branded “absolutely disgraceful” by the victim’s mother.

The hearing for Dunlop, who strangled pizza delivery woman Julie Hogg in Billingham, County Durham, in 1989, was adjourned after an eleventh-hour request by the Ministry of Justice, the Parole Board said.

Ms Hogg’s mother, Ann Ming, complained to staff at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London, and could be heard saying: “It’s absolutely disgraceful.”

Ms Ming campaigned for 15 years to bring Dunlop to justice for her daughter’s murder.

Almost two hours after the hearing was supposed to begin, a statement was read out by staff announcing the postponement.

An amended Parole Board statement issued later in the day made no reference to the Ministry of Justice requesting an adjournment – having previously said new information was produced by the department “at the last minute”.

Ling was initially ordered to serve at least 20 years behind bars, but in 2009, a High Court judge cut the minimum term to 18 years.

During sentencing at Newcastle Crown Court, Mr Justice Potts told Ling: “You inflicted appalling injuries on (Ms Tulip) while you were having sexual relations with her. I’m also satisfied that there was in your motivation an aspiration of sadism.”

He added: “You will never be released so long as it is thought you constitute a danger to women.”

The parole hearing will continue on Wednesday with more evidence to be heard both in public and in private, with the panel likely to make a decision at a later date.

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