Fury at Wigan killer’s new bid for freedom

Darren Pilkington will attend a parole hearing on September 8 at which he will bid to be released from prison for the fourth time since he was sent down for the manslaughter of 19-year-old Carly Fairhurst.

The now 36-year-old - who had previously played a part in the unlawful killing of Hindley man Paul Akister in 2000 - was sent back to jail for his third licence breach in January. The only consolation for his victim’s parents Trevor and Sheila Fairhurst is that Covid-19 delayed this latest parole hearing.

But it is till less than two months away and it pains the Hindley couple that he is being so many chances.

Mr Fairhurst said: “It used to be a case of three strikes and you’re out. But this guy who has killed twice and repeatedly breached his parole seems to be given unlimited opportunities to get back into the big, wide world.

“It hurts so much. After what he did to our daughter and for all the infringements since, he should be locked up forever now. It’s disgusting.”

The Fairhursts have not been made aware of what it was that Pilkington did to warrant his latest return to prison other than to be told that he had not harmed anyone and had not made any attempts to come into a no-go zone covering Wigan borough and beyond.

Mr Fairhurst said they would not be attending the oral parole board hearing, having already submitted their latest victim impact statement telling the board how the 2006 crime still affects them and what their feelings are about Pilkington’s inability to reform and the fact that he may be “institutionalised.”

It was while Pilkington was in prison for Mr Akister’s murder that he became Carly’s pen friend as she misguidedly believed she could see good in him. On his release they became, much to the horror of her parents, partners.

It was an abusive relationship, the violent consequences of which Carly withheld from her family until it was too late. In a row at a house in Ince the pair were minding, Pilkington pushed her downstairs and left her badly injured all night before ringing for an ambulance. She died a few days later.

Admitting manslaughter, Pilkington was given an indefinite prison sentence.