‘Double jeopardy’ killer William Dunlop who strangled pizza lady makes bid for freedom

A ‘double jeopardy’ murderer who only confessed to the brutal killing of a woman because he thought he was safe from being tried has made another bid for freedom.

William Dunlop has made an application to the Parole Board and could potentially be released by Christmas after a date was set to hear his plea.

It is believed he has claimed in his application that his time behind bars has rehabilitated him, after numerous previous bids for release were denied.

Labourer Dunlop strangled 22-year-old pizza delivery girl Julie Hogg and hid her beneath a bath at her home in Billingham, County Durham, in 1989.

He went to trial twice in 1991 but both juries failed to reach a verdict.

While in prison for the assault of another woman, Dunlop boasted to a prison guard about getting away with Julie’s murder. He believed he would be protected by the Double Jeopardy law, which prevents someone from being charged for the same crime twice.

But Julie’s mother Anne Ming successfully campaigned to change the law so he could be prosecuted again. He was then jailed for life with a minimum term of 17 years in 2006.

Now Dunlop will stand before parole experts for a two day public hearing on October 21 and 22. This means that those involved in the case will be able to have their say.

Ann and son Kevin Hogg are understood to have written to the Parole Board, stating they have “little confidence in the parole process” and want “transparency and fairness” in the hearings, arguing they must be made public.

During Dunlop’s previous parole hearing he admitted his confession was purely for “selfish” reasons and said he did not do it to help Ms Hogg’s family.

“My confessing was a purely selfish thing,” he told the panel, adding he had “wrongly” thought confessing would “free” him, let him move on and “get help for the violence going on in my head”.

He was asked if he made the admission knowing he was safe from being prosecuted again after his earlier acquittal.

“Yeah,” Dunlop said, and when he was asked how he had been able to lie for so long about the murder, Dunlop said: “With great difficulty.”

Back in 2024, he was asked what he would say to Ms Hogg’s family now.

“I know it’s of little consequence but I do regret what I have done to them,” Dunlop said, adding his anger “destroyed so many lives” and Ms Hogg was a “lovely” and “really witty” woman.

The Parole Board then made a recommendation for Dunlop to be moved to an open prison but it was denied by the secretary of state.

In 2022 a panel also recommended he be moved to an open prison but that was again refused.