William 'Billy' Dunlop, one of the North East's most notorious murderers, is currently facing a parole hearing that will determine whether he is released from prison. Dunlop was acquitted twice of the murder of Julie Hogg in 1991, but was finally convicted in 2006 after a change in the double jeopardy law, thanks to the efforts of Julie's mother, Ann Ming.
History of Violence
Dunlop gained notoriety across Teesside in the 1980s and 1990s for his history of attacks and drunken violence. He had convictions from the age of 12 and spent time in borstals. By 1988, he was drinking heavily.
He had kicked a man in the face at a private party and punched a 15-year-old girl, splitting her cheek, in separate attacks. In 1989, aged 43, he killed Julie Hogg, a 22-year-old pizza delivery girl and mother to a three-year-old boy.
The Murder of Julie Hogg
Julie Hogg disappeared in November 1989, prompting a missing persons inquiry. Three months later, in February 1990, her mother Ann Ming discovered her body hidden behind a bath panel at her home on Grange Avenue in Billingham. Dunlop was arrested within two weeks.
A court later heard that only Dunlop will ever know the true extent of his crime. It is likely he intended to have sex with Julie when he went to her home in the early hours of November 16, 1989. A judge said the killing was motivated, at least in part, by frustration and the victim's unwillingness to have sex with him. Dunlop strangled Julie and, most likely after death, inflicted a "gross violent sexual injury".
Acquitted Twice
At Dunlop's first trial in May 1991, a jury failed to reach a verdict. In October 1991, a second jury failed to convict him, and the judge ordered him to be formally cleared of the murder.
Even after being tried twice and acquitted, Dunlop's violence continued. In August 1997, he was jailed for seven years for attacking his pregnant girlfriend and her new boyfriend, leaving the man with severe facial injuries and the woman with a collapsed lung.
Change in Law
In May 2003, MPs passed changes to the 800-year-old double jeopardy rules, allowing criminal cases to be reopened when new evidence arises. Dunlop's conviction was the first to take place under the revised law.
Finally, in 2006, after 15 years of fighting for justice, Dunlop was jailed for Julie's murder. In July of that year, he admitted the murder at the Old Bailey. In September 2006, he formally pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life with a minimum tariff of 17 years at the Central Criminal Court.
Bids for Prison Move
In October 2022, then justice secretary Brandon Lewis blocked a bid to move Dunlop to an open prison. In June 2024, a public parole hearing was adjourned. On December 16, 2024, the Parole Board considered whether Dunlop was safe to be moved to a lower security jail or released. In March last year, the Parole Board recommended he be moved to open prison conditions, but on April 3, the Ministry of Justice confirmed the Justice Secretary had blocked the move.
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "Julie Hogg’s murder was a horrific crime and our thoughts remain with her friends and family. Public protection is our number one priority, which is why we have blocked William Dunlop’s transfer to open prison."
Application for Release
On Wednesday, October 21, Dunlop, now aged 63, made his first application for release after previously making submissions for moves to open conditions. During the hearing, Julie's son Kevin spoke of his loss, saying: "I can state categorically that time isn’t the great healer it is reputed to be. As the years pass, the pain of losing my mother to this murderer remains acute."
Dunlop said he found the statement "very moving" and expressed empathy with the family, citing his own bereavement from the death of his son. He admitted he would have gone on to commit another murder or serious violence, saying: "I would say yes because that's what my life was."
Dunlop's Prison Offender Manager and psychologists, both independent and for the prison, all recommended his release. The parole hearing continues.
