David Harker, the convicted killer who bragged about eating parts of his victim with pasta, has been refused parole for the ninth time. The 51-year-old is serving a life sentence for the manslaughter of mother-of-four Julie Paterson, 32, in Darlington in 1998.
Harker pleaded guilty to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility and was jailed for life in 1999. Psychiatrists agreed he had a severe psychopathic disorder, meaning he could not be found guilty of murder. It later emerged that he told friends and a psychiatrist he fried part of Paterson's thigh and ate it with pasta and cheese after killing her.
He has been eligible for parole since 2013, and a ninth hearing was held this month to assess whether he should be released or moved to an open prison. The Parole Board considered a 356-page dossier, including submissions from the Secretary of State arguing against release.
Although Harker's behaviour in custody had “significantly improved” with no disciplinary findings since 2015, the Parole Board concluded it was not safe to release him or transfer him to open conditions. The panel heard from prison staff, probation officers, and a psychologist, all of whom said Harker did not pass the test for release. Harker himself did not attend or make representations.
A Parole Board summary stated: “The panel carefully analysed all the evidence and formed its own independent assessment of risk. It decided not to direct the release of David Harker, nor to recommend to the Secretary of State that David Harker should be transferred to open conditions.”
