The UK's longest-serving female prisoner, Maria Pearson, is set to be released after nearly 39 years behind bars, following a Parole Board decision that she no longer poses a significant risk to the public. Pearson, 70, was convicted in 1987 for the murder of Janet Newton, her ex-boyfriend's fiancée, whom she stabbed 17 times in a jealous rage.
Parole Board Decision
The Parole Board confirmed Pearson's release in a decision summary released on Tuesday, stating that imprisonment was no longer necessary for public protection. The panel concluded that she poses no more than a minimal risk of further serious offending, describing the decision as 'finely balanced'. Pearson will be released on licence with strict conditions, including living at a designated address, a curfew enforced by electronic tagging for a year, and a ban on contacting Janet Newton's family.
Despite community offender managers assessing that Pearson posed a high risk of causing serious harm, the board approved her release. The decision comes after Pearson spent almost 39 years in prison, longer than notorious murderer Myra Hindley, who served 36 years before her death in 2002.
The Crime and Background
The murder occurred in 1986 after Pearson became obsessively jealous of her former partner Malcolm Pearson's new girlfriend, 23-year-old Janet Newton. Two days after Janet became engaged to Malcolm, Maria Pearson confronted her and stabbed her 17 times in the chest, with a knife penetrating her heart. Teesside Crown Court later heard that Janet was left lying in a pool of blood.
Pearson, from Hartlepool, County Durham, had married Malcolm in 1986 days after their daughter's birth, but the couple split when he discovered she had married him bigamously without divorcing her first husband. Their relationship was described as 'intense and stormy', and their baby was taken into care after a serious incident at home. Malcolm later began a relationship with Janet, and Pearson stalked the 23-year-old and her family, including sending hate letters to Janet's mother.
Previous Parole Reviews
Pearson was ordered to serve a minimum of 12 years before becoming eligible for parole. She first became eligible 28 years ago, but repeated applications were refused due to concerns about her behaviour and risk. In 2006, a recommendation for her transfer to an open prison was rejected by then Home Secretary John Reid, which Pearson later called 'politically motivated'. Her ninth parole review in 2023 concluded she was not suitable for release because of the nature of the murder, her behaviour in custody, and evidence presented.
Victim's Family Reaction
Janet Newton's sister Lynn has repeatedly urged the Parole Board not to release Pearson. She told the Mirror: 'She is not only Britain's longest female prisoner but Britain's most dangerous female prisoner as well.' Lynn added: 'Every time she applies for parole I have had to write the victim impact letter on why she should not be released. When my sister died, I had nightmares for months afterwards - I'd wake up screaming. The nightmares and the sense of dread have begun again. All I can do is wait and pray the worst does not happen. I lost my soulmate that day, and I can never forgive her killer - not just what she has put us through by taking Janet's life but for the years since but how she's shown no remorse for what she did. She's pure evil.'
Progress in Custody
According to the Parole Board summary, Pearson had made 'mixed progress' in prison, engaging with psychotherapy and completing a thinking skills programme, while also presenting 'ongoing challenges' in her relationships with professionals. Some experts assessed her as posing a high risk of serious harm, while others concluded her risk could be managed safely in the community. The panel accepted that Pearson presents a risk of harm, particularly when distressed, challenged, or under pressure, but concluded that the risk of serious violent reoffending is low, noting the absence of comparable behaviour over many years in custody and the specific circumstances of the original offence.
Her prison offender manager, lead clinical psychologist, and the operational manager of the enhanced offender management service, all of whom had worked closely with Pearson for several years, supported her release.
