Public can be '˜eyes and ears' if killer slips up

The authorities have told Trevor and Sheila Fairhurst that they will be watching their daughter's killer 'like a hawk' after his release from jail this month.
Double killer Darren PilkingtonDouble killer Darren Pilkington
Double killer Darren Pilkington

Given Darren Pilkington’s past crimes and misbehaviour while in prison, police and probation officers will be paying him special attention in the years ahead.

But the couple today also asked the public to be their eyes and ears, reporting immediately to the police any sightings of Pilkington within the area from which he is banned or any other behaviour which may constitute a breach of his licence.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Other restrictions to which he must comply including initially residing at an approved probation hostel and he will be subject to a curfew between 9pm and 7am; he must also sign in daily at the hostel at both 11am and 4pm.

Carly FairhurstCarly Fairhurst
Carly Fairhurst

The hostel residency and curfew will be reviewed regularly by his offender manager and if there are any amendments made the Fairhursts will be notifed.

Under the relatively new Clare’s Law, if Pilkington forms a romantic relationship, he must inform the authorities. And he will also undergo regular drug and alcohol tests and officials will also be looking out for any unusual changes in behaviour.

Pilkington must also complete a number of courses while in the hostel.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Failure to abide by any of the above licence conditions will see the parole board deciding how much longer he needs to spend back inside. Once released again, the licence “clock” would then revert to 10 years.

Carly FairhurstCarly Fairhurst
Carly Fairhurst

The Fairhursts, who live in Hindley, have already voiced concerns that he will breach his licence; indeed he entered Hindley when barred from it after being released from his sentence for killing Paul Akister. And they even fear that he might end another life, and have said that he really ought to have have kept behind bars for life.

On the release though, Mr Fairhurst said: “It’s brought it all back. One positive is we don’t have to keep going through the six-monthly heartache of parole hearings, but that’s as good as it gets.

“We’re desperately disappointed he is out. He is obviously going to breach his conditions; I just hope no-one else comes to harm when he does.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We want everyone to remember the area he is not allowed into round here and to know what the conditions of his licence are so that if anyone sees him doing something he shouldn’t, they can ring 999.

“At his sentencing his defence asked the judge if he could ffer Pilkington hope, to which we thought ‘what hope will we ever have again?’ Well, he’s been given that hope now and we just want him to stay as far away from here as possible.”

Although the Fairhursts have not at present been given Pilkington’s release date, they will be informed on the day that he is a free man again.

In January 2006 Pilkington pushed Carly downstairs at a house they were minding for a friend in Ince and then left her all night with grave injuries from which she never recovered.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In 2000 he and his older brother Andrew kicked and battered Mr Akister to death in Hindley town centre. Andrew Pilkington was only himself put back behind bars last month after admitting to two more serious assaults.