David Hamilton and Margaret Leonard have been campaigning for Yvonne Sleightholme's release for several years.

Here they give their reaction to the Parole Board's decision:

"Yvonne had no blemish on her character before she was convicted, and she has been a model prisoner for over 12 years - much longer than the ten years of her sentence. The Parole Board accepts this, and admits that there would be real benefits to her in a transfer to open conditions.

Nevertheless, their recommendation is that she should stay in closed conditions for a further two years, and take part in thinking skills and anger management rehabilitation courses - despite the fact that it was stated in her application that she had already successfully completed these courses.

The main reason given is that, if she were to regain her sight, she might abscond or re-offend from an open prison - but on this criterion, every other sighted prisoner in open conditions must also be a risk to the public.

"All Yvonne has to do to set herself on the road to release is to admit guilt, and express contrition. She will not do so. Ironically, the Board would be happy to release her as a self-acknowledged murderer, but can keep her in prison indefinitely so long as she says she is innocent.

This decision of the Parole Board is beyond our comprehension."

Updated: 11:12 Saturday, December 07, 2002