The mother of a murdered woman welcomes calls to rethink the release of a sadistic killer

The mother of a woman who was raped and murdered has welcomed the Lord Chancellor’s decision to ask the Parole Board to review its recommendation to release the sadistic killer who stabbed her 60 times.

Steven Ling spent 27 years behind bars after being jailed for life after admitting the murder of 29-year-old Joanne Tulip in 1997 in Stamfordham, Northumberland.

Earlier this month, he was ordered released into the community after his fifth parole hearing, a decision his victim’s mother, Doreen Soulsby, described as “scandalous.”

Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood has asked the Parole Board to reconsider its recommendation, calling it legally unreasonable.

The Parole Board will have to decide whether to accept a request to review its recommendations.

Meanwhile, Ling remained in custody.

Ms Soulsby said: “I welcome the decision taken by the Secretary of State for Justice to submit a review application to the Parole Board.

“I strongly disagreed with the Parole Board’s decision to release Ling directly into the community.

“This is a man who committed the most terrible sadistic crimes against my daughter, including stabbing her 60 times and raping her, after consuming significant amounts of alcohol.”

She said it was obvious during a July parole board hearing that Ling, 49, still fantasized about graphic sex.

“Ling spent 27 years in custody without having sex,” she said.

“There is a possibility that when he is released into the community, he will seriously harm other women and use force to do so, as he did with Joanne.

“There is nothing you can do to stop this man from constantly thinking he is entitled to sex.”

Hetti Barkworth-Nanton, chairwoman of domestic abuse charity Refuge, said: “Ling committed the most heinous crime against Joanne in 1997 and it was clear that he still harbored the sexual obsessions that formed the background to Joanne’s rape and murder, yet he was advised to release directly from the community and not even through the open prison system.

“Today’s motion by the Justice Secretary demonstrates the Lord Chancellor’s commitment that violence against women and girls must be taken seriously and that dangerous men must not be released after serving their entire prison sentence.”

Ling, a farm worker, was inspired to murder Mrs Tulip on Christmas Day 1997 by sadism, Newcastle Crown Court heard at the time.

The rape charge was left on the record of the original court case, so he is not a convicted sex offender, but in its ruling the Parole Board said: “Mr. Ling has always admitted that he raped the victim.”

Sentencing him to life in prison, Judge Potts told Ling, who was 23 at the time of the murder: “You will never be released as long as you are considered a danger to women.”

Ling was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 20 years, which the High Court reduced to 18 years.

At the Parole Board’s sentencing, Ling admitted to committing a number of indecent acts before murdering Ms Tulip, for which he was not caught.

The panel acknowledged that he had undertaken a formal program to address his violent and sexual offences, and that his behavior in prison had “been largely exemplary”.

At a hearing in July this year, two psychologists agreed that Ling should be released from prison and cited his lingering “shame” over his “monstrous” past.

His pending release comes with conditions that include informing authorities of any connections he may have; being subject to monitoring and curfew, and staying outside the exclusion zone to avoid contact with the victim’s family.

The Lord Chancellor said: “My thoughts remain with the family and friends of Joanne Tulip, whose life was lost in a truly horrific attack.

“Public protection is my priority. “After careful consideration, I have asked the Parole Board to reconsider their decision to release Steven Ling from prison.”