The early automatic release of a man who bludgeoned to death his estranged wife has been blocked by the UK justice secretary.
Robert Brown was due to be released at the beginning of next month after serving half of his 26-year sentence for killing Joanna Simpson in October 2010.
However, after Simpson’s family urged the justice secretary and lord chancellor, Alex Chalk, to intervene, he has exercised his power to prevent Brown’s automatic release and refer it to the Parole Board.
Brown, a former British Airways pilot, hit Simpson, 46, over the head with a hammer at least 14 times while their two children were in the next room at home in Ascot, Berkshire. He transferred her body to a pre-dug grave in Windsor Great Park.
He was acquitted of murder at Reading crown court in May 2011, having admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
Simpson’s mother, Diana Parkes, said: “I am delighted that Alex Chalk, the lord chancellor, has blocked Robert Brown’s automatic release and is referring the decision to the Parole Board. Having to continuously relive my daughter’s brutal killing is emotionally exhausting.
“We hope that the Parole Board will appreciate how dangerous Robert Brown is and we fear for the safety of our family, Jo’s friends and any female he may form a relationship with in the future. We would urge them to keep him in jail.”
The referral by Chalk was made under power to detain provisions, introduced in April 2022 under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act. They are designed to protect the public from dangerous offenders if they present a significant risk of causing serious harm and that risk cannot be safely managed through usual licence conditions.
The Joanna Simpson Foundation, set up in her memory to support children affected by domestic abuse and homicide, has campaigned to stop Brown’s automatic early release.
Simpson’s close friend, Hetti Barkworth-Nanton, said: “We appreciate the secretary of state for justice looking at this case with his closest personal attention and realising that Robert Brown is a danger to the public. Whilst today has been a victory for Diana Parkes, Joanna’s children, myself and Joanna’s wider family and friends, we know the fight doesn’t and won’t end here. We now hope that the Parole Board sees the level of danger that Brown poses and makes the decision to block his release.”
Brown was sentenced to 24 years for manslaughter and a further two years for an offence of obstructing a coroner in the execution of his duty.
Chalk said Brown had “left two children without a mother and caused irreparable harm to her family and loved ones”.
He added: “I made a commitment to Joanna’s family that I would give this case my closest personal attention. Having reviewed all the information available to me, I have blocked Brown’s automatic release and referred this case to the Parole Board using powers we introduced to protect the public from the most dangerous offenders.”
Sir Robert Buckland, the former justice secretary who commissioned the domestic homicide review, said the decision to keep Brown jailed was a “huge relief”. “This decision has been made in the interests of both justice and public protection and would not have happened without the tireless campaigning of my constituent, Joanna’s close friend Hetti Nanton, and, of course, Joanna’s mother Diana Parkes,” he said.
