The mother of a teenager who was murdered and dismembered in 1997 has pleaded with a parole board to keep his killer behind bars, as he still refuses to disclose the location of her son's head. Jean Hartley, 73, says she is 'fighting to keep [Stuart Diamond] behind bars' after he was convicted of killing 17-year-old Christopher Hartley.
Christopher was lured to a flat in Blackpool on December 30, 1997, where Diamond strangled him and cut up his body. His remains were found dumped in a bin behind a hotel, but his head has never been recovered. Diamond was detained at Ashworth high-security hospital under the Mental Health Act, but a Parole Board hearing in January could lead to his release if he is deemed no longer a risk to the public.
Ms Hartley insists Diamond should not be freed while he refuses to say what happened to Christopher's head, calling it a 'cruel and unforgivable' omission. She said: 'The unimaginable suffering this has had on me and my family. I find it hard to put into words. I still to this day have nightmares - it has destroyed my whole family.' Diamond has given conflicting accounts, including claiming he threw the head into the Irish Sea.
During his 1999 trial, the court heard how Diamond strangled and smothered the teenager before dismembering his body in a shared bathroom. Forensic teams found bloodstains and tissue throughout the property, along with Diamond's fingerprint in Christopher's blood. Diamond had two prior convictions for violent offences and had been out on licence for only weeks when he killed Christopher.
Ms Hartley said Diamond's lack of remorse and refusal to disclose details should rule out release. She added that if freed, she would live in fear of encountering him. 'I have an injunction for him to keep away from Christopher's grave. He can't come near me. I have a marker on my property.' Two of her daughters have also died, one on Christopher's birthday and another on the anniversary of his death.
Christopher's cousin, Zara Stothard, said: 'I feel angry. I can't stand him. I hate his guts. If he doesn't disclose what he has done, then why is it right to consider releasing him?' The Parole Board is expected to make a decision following the hearing.
