Britain's longest-serving female prisoner, Maria Pearson, is to be released after nearly four decades behind bars following a landmark ruling by the Parole Board. Pearson, now 70, has spent 39 years in prison for the 1986 murder of Janet Newton, her ex-boyfriend's new partner. Despite completing her minimum 12-year sentence in 1998, she remained incarcerated due to concerns over her behaviour and public safety.
Parole Board decision
In a decision summary released on 30 June, the Parole Board confirmed that Pearson's tenth review was successful. The board concluded that she no longer poses a significant risk to society. The panel stated: '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.'
The murder
The conviction stems from a highly publicised case in Hartlepool, County Durham. In 1986, then 31-year-old Pearson fatally stabbed 23-year-old Janet Newton in what the trial judge described as a 'cruel and vicious' attack born out of 'obsessive jealousy'. According to Parole Board documents, Pearson was in a bigamous relationship with her second husband. When he met Ms Newton and sought an annulment, Pearson, fearing the loss of her home and custody of her child, meticulously tracked Ms Newton's daily routine before launching the fatal assault. She was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1987.
Previous release attempts
Pearson became eligible for release 28 years ago, but her journey through the penal system has been lengthy. On two occasions, she was downgraded to low-security open prison conditions in preparation for release. However, both attempts failed, and she was returned to high-security facilities following disciplinary and behavioural red flags.
Conditions of release
The Parole Board acknowledged that the decision to grant freedom to the mother-of-three was 'finely balanced'. Pearson's release will be subject to strict conditions, including residing at a designated approved address and adhering to a strict curfew monitored via electronic tagging for twelve months. She is also banned from contacting or approaching the victim's family. A specific release date has not yet been disclosed.
