The man who killed the mother of reality star Chanelle Hayes will stay behind bars after the Parole Board decided he should not be released. Keith Pollard’s request to be moved to an open prison was also rejected.
Pollard, now 68, was jailed for life in 1998 over the murder of Andrea Sinclair. She was reportedly working as a prostitute when she was strangled and mutilated by Pollard, who was a client, in his Manchester flat when her daughter Chanelle was a baby.
Chanelle, who became well known by appearing on the Channel 4 reality series Big Brother in 2007, has previously spoken out about her mother’s murder and her fears that Pollard could be freed.
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Pollard – who had also been convicted of another murder in 1972 – told the Parole Board he was not yet ready to be released but that he would like to be moved to an open prison, the PA News Agency reports.
A Parole Board spokesman said: "We can confirm that a panel of the Parole Board has refused the release of Keith Pollard following an oral hearing in March. The panel has also refused to make a recommendation for a move to open conditions."
At the time of killing Ms Sinclair, he had problems in relationships, low self-esteem and a “limited level of sexual experience”. But since being in prison, he has taken part in rehabilitation programmes to address his violent and sexual behaviour, a document detailing the decision said.
"Concerns had been raised about the effectiveness of this work and it was recommended to the panel that Mr Pollard complete further work to address his level of risk. Witnesses did not support Mr Pollard’s release or his progression to an open prison and believed that it would be necessary for him to first complete more work in a closed prison", according to the parole papers.
He first became eligible for parole in 2008 and this is his seventh review, meaning he has spent an extra 14 years in prison so far. Pollard will be given another parole review in two years’ time.
Chanelle, now 34, has previously spoken about being born in Styal prison in Cheshire while her mother was serving time for drug usage. Five months later, Sinclair was killed by Pollard. Chanelle was later adopted by Christine and Harry Hayes.
