A convicted killer from the North East must have his parole hearing heard in public despite moaning that it might trigger 'negative thoughts' for him.
Stephen Ling murdered Joanne Tulip in an horrific attack at his home in Stamfordham, Northumberland on Christmas Day, 1997. He stabbed her 60 times before carving images including swastikas and crosses into her body.
Ling, who was 23 at the time of the killing, admitted raping 29-year-old Joanne. But that offence was allowed to lie on file by the trial judge because the murder was the more serious charge.
It means that Ling will not be on the Sex Offender's Register if he is freed because he was not convicted of rape. Last year, the parole board recommended his release to an open prison.
That decision was overturned by then Justice Secretary Dominic Raab. Ling's next parole hearing is scheduled to take place later this year.
He opposed a public hearing because he might feel 'inhibited' when he gives his evidence. Joanne's mum Doreen Soulsby said: "He needs to face up to what he did to Joanne in public and to the media.
"He committed a brutal attack and given the current campaigns and Government pledge to protect women and girls, it is in the public interest for the parole process to be transparent."
She took part in a parole system review in 2020, calling for 'openness' in high profile cases. She told how a 'brick wall went up' for her family when Ling was imprisoned. They were only told of his prisoner categorisation.
Doreen, of Wall, Northumberland, said: "He did some unreported things from the age of 12. They escalated to what he did to Joanne at 23 years of age.
"Everything he did and the sequence in which he performed them came out of his own head. He did not fantasise or copy them, he was not insane, as confirmed by psychiatric examinations and reports at the time.
"You cannot cure someone like that."
She described Ling as a 'totally sexually motivated', adding: "I think it is important the public know the kind of offender the Parole Board are considering for release and I think it is just as important this time. We don't know when he performed all that carving on her. Yet he is not a convicted sex offender, not on the Sex Offenders Register."
Doreen is part of the 'Killed Women' campaign which raises awareness of the 'injustice' for bereaved families whose daughters, mothers, sisters or other relatives have been killed by men. She will give her personal statement to the Parole Board with husband Wayne Soulsby, and son Michael Tulip.
The Crown Prosecution Service stressed rape charges should only be left to lie on file in 'exceptional circumstances'. Prosecutors are advised to seek the views of victims' families, a spokesperson said.
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