Ringleader of feral gang who kicked father-of-three Gary Newlove to loss of life exterior his house is launched from jail after serving simply 17 years

Ringleader of feral gang who kicked father-of-three Gary Newlove to loss of life exterior his house is launched from jail after serving simply 17 years

The ringleader of a notorious gang of feral teenagers who kicked a father-of-three to death outside his home has been quietly released from prison after serving just 17 years for murder.

The death of Garry Newlove in Warrington in 2007 became a cause célèbre for justice campaigners with his widow Helen later ennobled for her work in relation to youth crime.

Innocent Gary was viciously murdered in front of his daughter, then just 12, after he berated the group of out-of-control youths when he caught them vandalising his wife’s car while drunk and high on cannabis.

Adam Swellings, 19, Stephen Sorton, 17, and Jordan Cunliffe, 16, teamed up to brutally attack the 47 year old father, repeatedly kicking him in his head until he died.

All three teenagers were handed life sentences following Mr Newlove’s death, with Swellings, Sorton and Cunliffe receiving recommended terms of 17, 15, and 12 years.

The youngest two have since been released on parole, with Swellings – now 36 – appearing before the board in November in a bid to be freed on licence.

He had been described in parole hearings as ‘a very aggressive and angry young man’.

In December, he was informed that the panel had recommended he be freed from prison. The Ministry of Justice has now confirmed to MailOnline that he has subsequently been released on licence.

Ringleader Adam Swellings, then 19 and now 36, has been released on licence

Ringleader Adam Swellings, then 19 and now 36, has been released on licence

Garry Newlove was brutally murdered outside his home in front of his 12-year-old daughter in 2007

Mr Newlove’s widow Helen was made a peer in 2010 following her campaign work on youth crime and served as the Victim’s Commissioner from 2012 to 2019

A spokesperson for the MoJ said: ‘This was a horrific crime and our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Garry Newlove.

‘Adam Swellings will be on licence for the rest of his life, with strict conditions and intensive probation supervision after he is released, and he faces an immediate return to prison if he breaks the rules.’

Garry’s wife Helen has tirelessly campaigned for victims of anti-social behaviour to be taken more seriously.

She became Baroness Newlove in 2010 for her work in relation to youth crime and later served as the Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales from 2012 to 2019.

Previously, a spokesperson for the Parole Board told MailOnline: ‘We can confirm that a panel of the Parole Board has directed the release of Adam Swellings following an oral hearing.

‘Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.

Two years ago the Parole Board cleared him for a move to open prison conditions but the decision was blocked by former Justice Secretary Dominic Raab.

The current Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood could have asked the Parole Board to look at the case again to ensure it had followed procedure but did not make an application to use these powers.

Jordan Cunliffe, one of the killers, has already been paroled

Stephen Paul Sorton, was just 17 when he participated in the attack on the father 17 years ago

Under current parole laws, she did not have the power to prevent Swellings being released.

A summary by the three person panel who recommended his release said Swellings ‘had shown empathy towards the victims of his offending.

‘He told the panel that he had matured during his sentence and that he had been selfish at the time of the index offence.’

It also said his behaviour in prison ‘had been positive’ also adding that Mr Swellings had ‘evidenced compliance’.

The board added that at the time of the crime Swellings ‘made poor decisions and had a perception that violence earned respect and acceptance.’

The summary said Swellings was previously a ‘very aggressive and angry young man.’

During his court trial the jury also heard how the then-teenager binged on drinks and used skunk cannabis.

They stated that protective factors would reduce the risk of reoffending such as abstinence from drugs, controlling alcohol and avoiding antisocial friends.

Passersby look at flowers left in Warrington where Mr Newlove died in Warrington Cheshire in 2007

The summary also noted that Swellings was supported by his family.

The 36-year-old finished a minimum 17-year sentence in August 2024, with his parole hearing in November 2024 being the first one where he was eligible for release.

The summary concluded that the panel were ‘satisfied’ that ‘imprisonment was no longer necessary for the protection of the public’ following the hearing.

It continued: ‘The panel had regard to the extremely serious nature of the index offence and that Mr Swellings’ lifestyle at the time saw him engaged in violence, drug misuse and alcohol misuse.

‘Mr Swellings was 18 at the time of the index offence and is now 36 years old. The panel found evidence of maturation, which was supported by the professionals involved in the case.

‘The panel considered there to be a strong release plan in place and it noted the support available to Mr Swellings from his family.

It added that a range of strict licence conditions had been placed on Swellings, including residing at approved accommodation, GPS tracking and regular drug testing as well as an exclusion zone.