Britain's longest-serving female prisoner, Maria Pearson, is set to be released after a Parole Board panel determined she no longer presents a danger to the public. Pearson, now aged 70, from Hartlepool, was jailed for life in 1987 for the murder of her ex-boyfriend's new partner, Janet Newton, in 1986.
Details of the Murder
Pearson, 31 at the time, was found guilty of what the trial judge described as "the cruel and vicious" murder of her 23-year-old love rival. According to the Parole Board decision summary released on Tuesday, Pearson was in a bigamous relationship with her second husband at the time of the murder, remaining married to her first. When her second partner began seeing Ms Newton and chose to annul their marriage, Pearson became anxious she would forfeit their home and custody of a child. She monitored Ms Newton's movements and daily patterns before launching the fatal assault as she left her home.
Parole Board Ruling
Pearson attempted to implicate her husband during the trial but this was rejected, with the judge concluding she was "obsessive and jealous", the summary stated. The mother-of-three was informed she must serve a minimum 12-year sentence, which she fulfilled in October 1998. However, she has remained in jail since, spending two stints in an open prison before being transferred back to higher-security facilities due to concerns regarding her conduct. This marks the tenth occasion the Parole Board has examined her case, with hearings for the most recent review occurring in January and May.
A synopsis of the panel's ruling stated: "The panel concluded in a finely balanced decision that Ms Pearson met the test for release. The panel was satisfied that imprisonment was no longer necessary for the protection of the public and that she poses no more than a minimal risk of further serious offending."
Conditions of Release
Her conditions of release include living at a designated address, sticking to a curfew which will include electronic tagging for a year, and abiding by restrictions put in place to avoid contact with the victim's family.
