Rachel has welcomed the blocking of the automatic release of a killer who bludgeoned his wife to death.
As part of her ongoing work to tackle violence against women and girls, Rachel campaigned for the automatic release of Robert Brown to be blocked.
Robert Brown, who bludgeoned Jonna Simpson to death, was due for release at the halfway point of his prison sentence in November. In 2011, Brown was handed a 26-year sentence, of which he has served 13 years, after being convicted of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
To block Brown’s automatic release, Alex Chalk, the Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, has used powers created last year by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, which Rachel voted for, to block his automatic release by referring the case to the Parole Board to be reviewed.
Under the new Power to Detain provisions, the Justice Secretary can block a prisoner’s release in order to protect the public from dangerous offenders if they present a significant risk of causing serious harm and their risk cannot be safely managed through usual licence conditions.
Rachel said:
“Brown brutally killed Joanna Simpson, a mother of two, and the thought of him being released after only serving half of his sentence was something I could not stand-by and allow to happen.
"I am so glad the Justice Secretary has listened to Joanna’s family and friends and taken the correct decision to block the automatic release of Robert Brown using the new powers he has under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act.
“This is something I campaigned for and having met with and worked with the family and friends of Joanna Simpson, I know how important this decision will be to them.”
