The UK justice secretary, Alex Chalk, has blocked the automatic release of Robert Brown, a former British Airways pilot who bludgeoned his estranged wife Joanna Simpson to death in 2010. Brown was due to be released next month after serving half of his 26-year sentence for manslaughter.
Brown attacked Simpson, 46, with a hammer at least 14 times while their two children were in the next room at their home in Ascot, Berkshire. He then moved her body to a pre-dug grave in Windsor Great Park. He was acquitted of murder but admitted manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility.
Simpson's mother, Diana Parkes, expressed relief at the decision, stating: 'Having to continuously relive my daughter’s brutal killing is emotionally exhausting. We hope that the Parole Board will appreciate how dangerous Robert Brown is.'
Chalk referred the case to the Parole Board under powers introduced in April 2022 to detain dangerous offenders who pose a significant risk of serious harm. He said Brown had 'left two children without a mother and caused irreparable harm to her family and loved ones.'
Hetti Barkworth-Nanton, a close friend of Simpson, welcomed the intervention but noted: 'We know the fight doesn’t and won’t end here. We now hope that the Parole Board sees the level of danger that Brown poses.'
