UK's longest-serving female prisoner to be freed after 39 years despite 'high risk of harm'

Britain's longest-serving female prisoner is to be released after nearly 39 years in custody, following the Parole Board's decision that she no longer poses a serious risk to the public.

Maria Pearson, 70, from Hartlepool, was convicted in 1987 of the murder of Janet Newton, a 23-year-old woman killed in 1986. She stabbed Newton 17 times in what the trial judge described as a "cruel and vicious murder". Pearson was originally sentenced to a minimum of 12 years imprisonment, which she fulfilled by October 1998, yet she remained in jail for an additional 27 years.

The killing occurred after Pearson developed what was characterised as "intense and stormy" jealousy towards her ex-partner's new girlfriend. Pearson was in a bigamous relationship with her second husband, Malcolm Pearson, remaining married to her first husband. When Malcolm began a relationship with Newton and chose to annul his marriage to Pearson, she became anxious about losing their home and custody of their child. She monitored Newton's movements and daily patterns before launching the fatal assault as Newton left her home.

In a decision summary published on Tuesday, the Parole Board confirmed that Pearson's tenth assessment had proved successful. "The panel was satisfied that imprisonment was no longer necessary for the protection of the public and that she poses no more than a minimal risk of further serious offending," the panel stated, describing it as a "finely balanced judgement".

Despite community offender managers determining Pearson posed a high risk of causing serious harm, the board sanctioned her release on licence under strict conditions. These include living at a specified address, adhering to a curfew enforced by electronic monitoring for a year, and avoiding contact with Newton's family.

The decision comes despite vocal opposition. Janet Newton's sister Lynn previously told the Mirror: "She is not only Britain's longest female prisoner but Britain's most dangerous female prisoner as well." Pearson has now served longer than infamous killer Myra Hindley, who completed 36 years before her death in November 2002.