The last remaining perpetrator of the brutal murder of Sophie Lancaster, a 20-year-old goth who was kicked and stamped to death in 2007, has been cleared for release by the Parole Board. Brendan Harris, now 35, was just 15 when he and a group of friends attacked Sophie and her boyfriend Robert Maltby in a park in Bacup, Lancashire. Despite being convicted of breaking a nurse’s nose while in custody, the Parole Board has concluded he no longer poses a risk to the public.
The Attack and Conviction
On August 11, 2007, Harris, along with Ryan Herbert and others, viciously beat Robert Maltby, 21, before turning on Sophie Lancaster as she rushed to defend him. Sophie spent her final moments cradling her partner's head in her lap as the thugs kicked and beat her unconscious. She died in hospital 13 days later. Witnesses reported the attackers celebrating afterwards, boasting about the injuries inflicted on the couple.
Harris was convicted of murder in 2008 and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 18 years. Herbert was also convicted of murder, while other accomplices received sentences for their roles. The judge described their actions as 'feral thuggery'.
Parole Decision and Conditions
Harris reached the end of his minimum term in August 2025 and became eligible for parole. His first review has now recommended release on licence, subject to strict conditions. The Parole Board panel noted that Harris had not displayed any violence for over 13 years, had completed programmes to address his use of violence, and had shown good behaviour in prison. Witnesses at the hearing supported his release.
The release plan includes restrictions on where he can live, strict limitations on contacts, movements, and activities, a curfew, alcohol monitoring, drug testing, and an exclusion zone to avoid contact with victims. He must also continue work to address his risk factors.
Background and Aftermath
During his sentence, Harris was transferred to a psychiatric hospital after being diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. In 2013, he broke a male nurse's nose with a single blow, leading to a conviction for grievous bodily harm and an additional four months added to his life sentence. He returned to prison in 2014.
Sophie's mother, Dr Sylvia Lancaster OBE, who campaigned for hate crime legislation to include attacks on alternative subcultures, died in 2022. She had expressed disappointment at the earlier release of Ryan Herbert in 2022, stating that the justice system had failed to deliver justice. The Sophie Lancaster Foundation continues to challenge prejudice and promote hate crime awareness.
