JUSTICE FOR JOANNA
Where is Robert Brown aka the British Airways Killer now?
The killer's hearing could be heard soon
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A former pilot who bludgeoned his millionairess wife to death with a claw hammer will have a private parole hearing.
Robert Brown brutally killed Joanna Simpson in 2010, just days before her divorce from him was due to be finalised.
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Who is Robert Brown and where is he now?
Robert Brown is an ex-pilot who killed his estranged wife Joanna Simpson in 2010.
The former couple, who married in 1999, shared two children.
They welcomed their son Alex just two months after their wedding and had a daughter Kate 17 months later.
Kate and Alex were only nine and ten at the time of their mother's tragic death.
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Joanna died in her Ascot home, while her children were playing in the next room.
Following a trial, Robert was convicted of manslaughter due to diminished responsibility in 2011.
The killer was handed a 24-year sentence for manslaughter - plus two years for obstructing a coroner.
After serving half of his sentence, Robert was up for automatic release on licence in November 2023.
Most read in The Sun
Following the news of his bid for freedom, Joanna's mother - Diana Parkes - launched an appeal in The Sun to block his release.
Diana, who inspired stars like Queen Camilla and Carrie Johnson to join her in a passionate campaign against domestic abuse, shared her fears that Brown would hurt her and her grandchildren if he was released.
BA pilot Robert Brown killed my daughter Joanna Simpson and we’re terrified he’ll be released early, her mum says
She told The Sun: ''I worry for everybody because this man is not safe.
"I think he will stop at nothing and we will be constantly looking over our shoulders. Let common sense please rule the day.
"This man is not fit to be let out. He should stay in jail for at least his full sentence.''
Joanna's family also called on Secretary of State for Justice Alex Chalk to give the case his full attention and to use his powers to prevent Brown's early release.
In October 2023 it was confirmed that Chalk had blocked Robert's automatic release and that the killer would stay behind bars.
Chalk said at the time: "I made a commitment to Joanna's family that I would give this case my closest personal attention.
"Having reviewed all the information available to me, I have blocked Brown's automatic release and referred this case to the parole board using powers we introduced to protect the public from the most dangerous offenders."
In February 2024, Robert challenged the decision.
His lawyer claimed that proper policy was not followed because of the high-profile nature of the case.
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The Sun reports that the Parole Board is expected to hear the 60-year-old’s case behind closed doors “early in 2025” before a decision will be made on his release.
A spokesperson for the Parole Board said: “We can confirm the parole review of Robert Brown has been referred to the Parole Board by the Secretary of State for Justice and is following standard processes.
"Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community."
Diana has said in response to the decision: “With Brown’s Parole Board hearing on the horizon, it is an incredibly anxious time for Jo’s family and friends.
“We implore the Parole Board must not let this man out of prison into the community.
“He has shown no remorse for the horrific and brutal killing that he committed against my daughter.
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“The Parole Board must see that Brown cannot be trusted to follow licence conditions, including not entering exclusion zones.
“These rules will not stop him from doing anything dangerous, as rules have never stopped him in the past.
“The safest way for him to be monitored is to keep him in a restricted area.
“We hope that the Parole Board can see Brown is a dangerous man to the community.”
Joanna’s best friend Hetti Barkworth-Nanton added: “We are powerless in this process and all we can do for our sake and that of the public is pray that the parole board does a thorough job in looking at Brown’s index crime, the history of abuse behind it and his conduct in prison in making their assessment of risk and ability to manage it in the community.”
What happened to Joanna Simpson?
On October 31, 2010, Robert killed his estranged wife Joanna.
She was just 46 years old at the time.
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Robert had a history of inflicting coercive control, isolation, intimidation and severe violence on Joanna.
On the night of her death, he hid a hammer in one of his children's school bags when he came to drop them off at their home in Ascot.
He then attacked Joanna with the hammer before placing her body in the boot of his car and driving to a pre-dug grave which was located in Windsor Great Park.
Joanna's body was found five days later.
Following the mother-of-two's tragic death, the Joanna Simpson foundation was set up in her memory.
Read More on The Sun
The charity works to transform the care, support and protection of children affected by domestic abuse and homicide.
According to the foundation's , it works to help victims of crime "get the justice they deserve" and help them "move on from these traumatic events".
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