Child killer denied release by Parole Board

A murderer who was handed a life sentence for killing a toddler has been denied release from prison.

Shaun Armstrong abducted three-year-old Rosie Palmer when she went to buy an ice lolly from a van outside her home in Hartlepool in 1994.

Her body was found in Armstrong's flat and the following year he was handed a life sentence for her murder.

At a parole hearing in February, Armstrong made his case for being released but the Parole Board denied the request because it would not be "safe for the protection of the public".

The panel also recommended to the justice secretary that Armstong should not be transferred to an open prison.

"This was a more finely balanced decision but the panel assessed Mr Armstrong as not yet being ready for relocation to open conditions and noted that there were some remaining areas of risk to be addressed," the Parole Board wrote in its decision.

"The panel considered that Mr Armstrong was appropriately located in custody where outstanding levels of risk could be contained."

Armstrong's life sentence for Rosie's murder included a minimum term of 16 years' imprisonment. This was the eighth time his sentence had been reviewed since the minium tarrif ended.

The panel said there were a number of risk factors that made it more likely Armstrong would reoffend.

At the time of the murder, these included difficulties in managing extremes of emotion, including frustration, and failing to respect "conventional sexual boundaries".

The Parole Board said his "sexual interests and dissatisfaction with his relationship had contributed to his offending".

The panel heard how Armstrong had not been violent while in custody and had attained a lower security grading.

He had also undertaken courses to tackle decision making, better ways of thinking and to address sex offending - although the last course had not been completed.

An official supervising Armstrong in prison believed transferring him to an open prison would be safe.

However, a psychologist and his former probation worker said he would benefit from taking part in a further specialised unit to explore his risk areas and prepare him for progression.

The Parole Board said Armstrong would be eligible for another review in due course.

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