Joanna Simpson death: Mum relieved by wife killer's failed freedom bid

Joanna Simpson was killed with a claw hammer at her home in Ascot

A mother has spoken of her relief after the man who killed her daughter with a hammer lost a court bid to be freed.

Joanna Simpson, 46, was bludgeoned to death by her husband Robert Brown in Ascot, Berkshire, in October 2010.

The former British Airways captain was due to be freed in November after serving half of his 26-year jail sentence for manslaughter, but his release was blocked by the government.

The High Court dismissed Brown's appeal against that decision on Wednesday.

Ms Simpson's mother Diana Parkes (left) and best friend Hetti Barkworth-Nanton welcomed the court's decision

"Thank goodness common sense has prevailed," said Diana Parkes, the mother of Ms Simpson.

"The outcome is just what we were hoping for because Brown has just stuck rigidly to his grievance mentality.

"He has refused to take part in any psychiatric or psychological assessment.

"He just refused to take part in any rehabilitation program."

She added: "In fact he has radicalised himself in prison thinking the he didn't have to bother to do any rehabilitation because he was going to be automatically released at his-half way period."

Brown was due to be released in November after serving half of his 26-year jail sentence

Ms Parkes said she believed Brown's behaviour was the reason he was denied freedom. .

"He didn't do any work towards showing any remorse, or showing any reason why he could be not be a risk," she said.

The defendant, formerly of Winkfield, Berkshire, killed Ms Simpson at her home within earshot of their two children, then aged nine and 10, a court previously heard.

He buried her body in a pre-dug grave in Windsor Great Park before confessing to police the following day.

'High risk'

The former pilot, then aged 47, was found not guilty of murder after a jury was told the couple's bitter divorce proceedings had put him under great stress.

He was sentenced to 24 years for manslaughter and a further two years for an offence of obstructing a coroner.

In October 2023, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk referred the case to the Parole Board to decide if Brown could be safely freed from prison, effectively blocking his automatic release the following month.

Dismissing his appeal against his release being blocked, Mr Justice Ritchie wrote that there were "good grounds for believing" that Brown posed a "high risk to the public of serious harm" and needed full and proper assessment.