The family of Gemma Sisley have had their appeal against the release of her killer, Jason Burrows, denied. Burrows had been serving a minimum 15-year sentence since 2009 after murdering Sisley in Buckinghamshire, UK, while she was retrieving her belongings following the breakdown of their relationship. Despite the family’s concerns for their safety and that of the public, the Parole Board recommended Burrows’ release. He is due to be released in October, coinciding with the 16th anniversary of Sisley’s murder.
Sisley’s brother, Tom, who was 17 when she was killed, said that Burrows represented “the corner pin of our family” and that he remained angry and fearful for his family’s safety. He expressed concerns that Burrows had not been rehabilitated and was capable of carrying out similar crimes. Despite conditions on his licence, Tom Sisley was worried that Burrows could still target Gemma’s friends and family members.
Tom Sisley also criticised the parole system for failing to support victims and their families. He said that Burrows had committed a “heinous crime” and that he believed the decision to release him had been biased in favour of the criminal. A spokesperson for the HM Prison and Probation Service expressed sympathy for Sisley’s family, but announced that there were no grounds upon which to reconsider the Parole Board’s decision.
The Parole Board had claimed that Burrows had successfully completed accredited programmes and had complied well with an open prison regime. He will remain on licence for the rest of his life and can be recalled to prison if the terms of his release are broken
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