Billingham killer not safe for open prison – victim’s mum

The family of a murdered woman say her killer is not safe to be moved to an open prison.

William Dunlop was jailed in 2006 for the 1989 murder of Julie Hogg, 22, after her family successfully campaigned for a change in the so-called double jeopardy law.

The Parole Board has recommended Dunlop be moved to open conditions, with a decision to be made by the Justice Secretary.

Ms Hogg’s mother Ann Ming said she feared he was still dangerous and the Parole Board panel had fallen for his “lies” about being a reformed character.

Dunlop strangled Ms Hogg and hid her body beneath the bath at her home in Billingham, County Durham in November 1989, with Ms Ming discovering her three months later.

He was twice acquitted in the 1990s and, due to the double jeopardy law, was unable to be prosecuted again, despite later making admissions to a prison guard that he was guilty.

Ms Ming successfully campaigned for the law to be changed so her daughter’s killer could finally face justice, which he did when he was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 17 years in 2006 after admitting murder.

The Parole Board heard Dunlop had committed other violent offences and he admitted to the panel he could have gone on to kill other people had he not been incarcerated.

But he claimed he had changed in prison and the panel concluded he should be moved to an open prison.

Ms Ming and her grandson, Ms Hogg’s son Kevin Hogg, attended public hearings of the Parole Board in December and said he should remain in maximum-security detention.

Ms Ming told the BBC she felt “deflated” about the recommendation and “just couldn’t believe [the panel] could fall for” his claims of being reformed.

She said he was “very cute” and “cunning”, adding: “If you don’t know how evil he is, you believe what he says.

“I don’t believe one word he says.

“I definitely do not think he will ever be safe to come out into the community.

“I really fear for another family having to go through what we have gone through because of Dunlop’s behaviour.”

Ms Ming said Dunlop “bragged” in pubs about murdering Ms Hogg and almost killed other people in attacks in the years afterwards.

“This is someone who the Parole Board think is safe?” she said.

Mr Hogg said Dunlop had the “ability to lie and hoodwink the system”, adding: “It’s beyond belief.”

The Parole Board previously recommended the move but it was rejected by the then Justice Secretary Brandon Lewis in 2022.

Mr Hogg said going through the process again had been “retraumatising”, adding criminal justice “never favours victims” but instead prioritises prisoners.

“It’s time the scales of justice were balanced,” Mr Hogg said.

He said if she approved his move, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood would have to take responsibility for “any future actions [Dunlop] may well get up to”.

Ms Ming said that “life should mean life”.

The Ministry of Justice said the Parole Board’s recommendation would now be considered against stringent criteria, including around any risk Dunlop was believed to pose.