Editing Colin Pitchfork

{{Mature}}
{{Villain_Infobox
|Image = Colin Pitchfork.jpg|thumb|306x306px|link=Special:FilePath/Colin_Pitchfork.jpg]]
|fullname = Colin Pitchfork
|origin = United Kingdom
|hobby = Assaulting and raping kids
|crimes = [[Rape]] <br> [[Murder]]
|type of villain = Misopedistic Traumatizer
}}

'''Colin Pitchfork''' (March 23<sup>rd</sup>, 1960 - ) is a British child rapist and murderer who was the first person to be convicted of [[murder]] using DNA fingerprinting evidence and the first to be caught using mass DNA screening.

==Crimes==
On November 21<sup>st</sup>, 1983, 15-year-old Lynda Mann took a shortcut home from her babysitting job, and was attacked by Pitchfork, who raped her and strangled her to death. Her body was discovered the following day, and police officers managed to extract a semen sample and confirmed via testing that it could only have come from 10% of males, but were unable to identify Pitchfork as the attacker as DNA profiling had not been developed yet. The case was subsequently left on file as a result.<ref name=Scotsman>[https://www.scotsman.com/news/crime/colin-pitchfork-child-killer-colin-pitchfork-to-be-released-from-prison-who-is-colin-pitchfork-how-old-is-he-now-3264248 Everything you need to know about child murderer Colin Pitchfork and his release from prison on parole], The Scotsman</ref>

On July 31<sup>st</sup>, 1986, 15-year-old Dawn Ashworth was attacked by Pitchfork, who beat her, raped her and strangled her to death. The police concluded that the same person had killed Mann and Ashworth, as the ''modus operandi'' was the same and the blood type and enzymes came from the same 10% of males, but still did not have the DNA profiling to identify Pitchfork.<ref name=Scotsman/>

==Arrest==
In 1985, Alec Jeffreys developed DNA profiling. He then used this to compare semen samples from the murders of Mann and Ashworth, confirming that they were from the same person and that that person was not the prime suspect Richard Buckland. As a result, the police began mass DNA testing, but were at first unable to find a match due to one of Pitchfork's friends posing as him during the testing. However, on August 1<sup>st</sup>, 1987, a woman overheard the friend talking about this and reported it to the police, resulting in Pitchfork's arrest. His DNA was then matched to the sample found at the crime scenes.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jun/07/killer-dna-evidence-genetic-profiling-criminal-investigation Killer breakthrough – the day DNA evidence first nailed a murderer], The Guardian</ref>

During his interrogation, Pitchfork confessed to over 1000 indecent exposures and sexual assaults.<ref>[https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/2009/963.html R v Pitchfork], British and Irish Legal Information Institute</ref> He pleaded guilty to the rapes and murders of Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth, the sexual assault of another woman and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum of 30 years, later reduced to 28 years on appeal.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leicestershire-36168459 No parole for Colin Pitchfork, first killer caught by DNA], BBC News</ref>

==Prison==
On April 22<sup>nd</sup>, 2016, Pitchfork applied for parole, citing his improved character, and the fact that he had furthered his education to degree level and had become expert at the transcription of printed music into braille, for the benefit of the blind. The families of victims Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth opposed his release on parole.

On April 29<sup>th</sup>, 2016, the Parole Board announced that Pitchfork's petition for parole had been denied, but they then issued a recommendation that Pitchfork be moved to an open prison. In June 2016, Michael Gove, then serving as Justice Secretary, agreed with the board's recommendation, and at some point prior to January 8<sup>th</sup>, 2017, Pitchfork was moved to an undisclosed open prison. The Parole Board denied parole again in 2018. He may be eligible for parole again in 2020.

On May 3<sup>rd</sup>, 2018, Pitchfork was denied parole. The Parole Board said Pitchfork will be eligible for a further review within two years. Lynda's mother said the Parole Board had "listened to us before the murderer". Last year, it emerged Pitchfork would be released from open prison on unsupervised days out. It had been widely expected that Pitchfork could be approaching final release from prison on parole.

In November 2018, Pitchfork was spotted walking around Bristol, so it was assumed that he had been moved to HM Prison Leyhill in Gloucestershire.

In June 2021, Pitchfork was deemed suitable for parole and released. Just two months later, the Ministry of Justice announced that he had been re-imprisoned for violating the conditions of his release and placed in a closed prison.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leicestershire-59354638 Double child killer Colin Pitchfork sent back to prison], BBC News</ref>

==References==
[[Category:Misogynists]]
[[Category:Modern Villains]]
[[Category:Living Villains]]
[[Category:Male]]
[[Category:Rapists]]
[[Category:Imprisoned]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Misopedists]]
[[Category:Barbarians]]
[[Category:Murderer]]
[[Category:Redeemed]]
[[Category:Perverts]]