Murderer Granted Parole Despite Refusal to Reveal Victim's Body Location

Controversial Parole Decision

Glyn Razzell, who was jailed for life in November 2003 for the murder of his estranged wife, Linda, has been granted release from prison by the Parole Board. Linda vanished on her way to work in Swindon in 2002, and her body has never been recovered.

The decision has been met with strong condemnation from Linda's family, who argue it undermines the spirit of Helen's Law. This legislation places a legal duty on the Parole Board to consider the suffering caused by killers who refuse to disclose the whereabouts of their victim's remains. Linda's former fiancé, Greg Worrall, expressed that the ruling would add "another level of stress" to the family.

Helen's Law and Public Protection

The Parole Board maintained that its decisions are "solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk was manageable in the community." While acknowledging the "continuing cruelty" of Razzell's refusal to reveal Linda's resting place and the family's concerns regarding Helen's Law, the board stated that "denial cannot be a bar to release."

Razzell was initially sentenced to a minimum of 16 years, a term that expired in 2019. He had previously been denied parole three times, including in 2021, when he became the first prisoner to be refused release under Helen's Law. However, the panel ultimately concluded that Razzell posed only a minimal risk to the public, noting his compliance with controls during unsupervised periods in the community.

The Ministry of Justice has confirmed it is exploring grounds to challenge the Parole Board's decision through the reconsideration mechanism.