Kenneth Noye, M25 road rage killer, to get parole hearing

Kenneth Noye fled to Spain after he murdered Stephen Cameron in 1996

Road rage killer Kenneth Noye, one of the UK's most notorious criminals, has been given the chance to argue for his release at a parole hearing.

Noye, 67, was jailed for life for the murder of 21-year-old Stephen Cameron in 1996 during a fight on an M25 slip road at Swanley in Kent.

He then fled to Spain but was extradited later and convicted in 2000.

The victim's mother, Toni Cameron, described Noye as a lifelong "villain" who should never be let out of jail.

The Parole Board said the case had been referred to them by the secretary of state.

'Life of criminality'

Mrs Cameron told BBC Radio Kent the family would be writing to Home Secretary Theresa May to put "our side of things" forward.

"We're absolutely devastated about it because we think life should mean life. Our son hasn't got a life and obviously it brings it all back, it opens up wounds," she added.

"We just feel that it's not fair that he should come out and have parole. He's a villain and he always has been. His whole life is criminality.

"He got out six years early [for good behaviour] for being involved in the Brinks Mat robbery and I think that should come into play now.

"He should serve that other six years because he wouldn't have murdered Stephen had he not come out early.

"We want justice for our son and to have justice means he stays in prison and serves a sentence."

Noye was part of the gang that stole gold bullion from the Brinks Mat warehouse

Noye become one of Britain's most notorious criminals because of his involvement in the £26m Brinks Mat raid in 1983 - one of the UK's biggest robberies.

Six armed men posed as security guards and stole 6,800 gold bars from a warehouse at Heathrow Airport.

The police investigation into the heist focused on Noye's mansion in West Kingsdown, Kent.

It was in the grounds of this house in 1985 that he stabbed to death undercover officer Det Con John Fordham.

He admitted killing the detective in self-defence when he found him in shrubbery at his home.

Noye was cleared of murder but jailed for 14 years for handling stolen bullion.

Kenneth Noye's life of crime

• Kenneth Noye hit the headlines for his part in the 1983 Brink's Mat bullion robbery

• Six armed men raided a warehouse near Heathrow Airport, making off with 6,800 gold bars valued at £26m

• In January 1985, undercover policeman John Fordham was stabbed to death in the grounds of Noye's Kent home

• Eleven gold bars were found hidden around the premises

• Noye was charged with murder but cleared on the grounds of self defence

• In 1986, Noye was jailed for 14 years for conspiring to handle gold and evade VAT payments

• Two years after his release, in 1996, Noye stabbed Stephen Cameron to death

• He was jailed for life at the Old Bailey in 2000 and told he would serve a minimum of 16 years

Profile: Kenneth Noye

Two years after his release, he murdered Mr Cameron during the M25 slip road fight with a knife he kept in his car.

His dying words to his partner Danielle Cable were: "He stabbed me, Dan. Take his number plate."

Stephen Cameron was stabbed to death by Kenneth Noye in May 1996

Noye fled to France in a private helicopter with a bag full of cash the day after the stabbing, but was arrested in Spain in 1998 and extradited to the UK for trial.

A Parole Board spokesman said the panel could only direct the release of a life sentence prisoner if it was "satisfied that it is no longer necessary for him to be detained in order to protect the public from serious harm".

"Each case is assessed on its own individual merits," he added.

A range of prison and parole staff reports will be considered before the board makes a decision on whether he should be released.

If it decides that Noye is fit for release then its decision is final.

It can also recommend that he is moved to a low category open prison, but this would be open to challenge.

The Parole Board is due to make its decision in April.