UK’s longest-serving feminine prisoner to be freed after 39 years regardless of ‘excessive threat of hurt’
Maria Pearson, 70, was convicted of stabbing her ex-boyfriend’s new partner, Janet Newton, to death in 1986. She is now set to be released under strict conditions
Pearson is set to be released after nearly four decades
The UK’s longest-serving female prisoner is set to be freed after the Parole Board sanctioned her release. Maria Pearson, 70, has spent the best part of 39 years locked up after stabbing her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend, Janet Newton, to death in 1986.
She was originally sentenced to serve a minimum of 12 years before being eligible for parole. However, persistent worries about her conduct and the danger she might pose to the public has kept her locked up for an additional 27 years.
In a decision summary published on Tuesday, the Parole Board confirmed Pearson’s tenth assessment had proved successful, determining she no longer presents a substantial threat to society, as reported by the Mirror.
It stated: “The panel was satisfied that imprisonment was no longer necessary for the protection of the public and that she poses no more than a minimal risk of further serious offending.”
The board characterised it as a “finely balanced” judgement and announced Pearson would be freed on licence under rigorous conditions, including living at a specified address, adhering to a curfew enforced by electronic monitoring for a year and avoiding contact with Janet Newton’s family.
Prior to the hearing, Janet’s sister Lynn implored the Parole Board not to free Pearson.
She previously told the Mirror: “She is not only Britain’s longest female prisoner but Britain’s most dangerous female prisoner as well.”
Despite community offender managers determining Pearson “posed a high risk of causing serious harm”, the Parole Board sanctioned her release on licence.
The decision comes after Pearson had served nearly 39 years behind bars, longer than infamous killer Myra Hindley, who had completed 36 years when she died in November 2002.
The killing occurred in 1986 after Pearson developed a seemingly obsessive jealousy towards her ex-partner’s new girlfriend, 23 year old Janet Newton.
Two days after Janet became engaged to Malcolm Pearson, Maria confronted her and stabbed her a total of 17 times in the chest.
The blade pierced Ms Newton’s heart and she was left lying in a pool of blood, Teesside Crown Court subsequently heard.
Pearson, from Hartlepool, County Durham, had wed welder Malcolm Pearson in 1986, days following the birth of their daughter.
But the pair separated after he discovered she had married him bigamously without divorcing her first husband, Sam Travers.
Their romance was characterised as “intense and stormy” and their baby was placed into care following a serious incident at their home.
Malcolm subsequently began a relationship with Janet, with Pearson stalking the 23 year old and her family, including posting hate letters to Janet’s mother. At the age of 31, Pearson was found guilty of murder in 1987 and sentenced to serve at least 12 years before being considered for parole.
She first became eligible for release 28 years ago, but repeated applications were denied, leading campaigners to dub her Britain’s “forgotten inmate”.
In 2006, a proposal that Pearson should be moved to an open prison and readied for release was dismissed by then Home Secretary John Reid. Pearson later claimed the decision was “politically motivated”.
Her ninth parole review, finalised in 2023, determined she was not fit for release due to the severity of the murder, her conduct in custody and the evidence presented at the hearing.
Lynn told the Mirror: “Every time she applies for parole I have had to write the victim impact letter on why she should not be released. When my sister died, I had nightmares for months afterwards – I’d wake up screaming. The nightmares and the sense of dread have begun again.
“All I can do is wait and pray the worst does not happen. I lost my soulmate that day, and I can never forgive her killer – not just what she has put us through by taking Janet’s life but for the years since but how she’s shown no remorse for what she did. She’s pure evil.”
According to the Parole Board summary, Pearson had demonstrated “mixed progress” while incarcerated, participating in psychotherapy and completing a thinking skills programme, but also showing “ongoing challenges” in her professional relationships. While some experts deemed her a high risk of serious harm, others believed her risk could be safely managed within the community.
The summary further stated: “The panel accepted that Ms Pearson presents a risk of harm, particularly in situations where she feels distressed, challenged or under pressure. However, it concluded that the risk of serious violent reoffending is low, noting the absence of comparable behaviour over many years in custody and the specific circumstances of the original offence.”
Her prison offender manager, lead clinical psychologist and the operational manager of the enhanced offender management service – all of whom had worked closely with Pearson for several years – backed her release.
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