Lawrence Bierton: Apology after double murderer released to kill again

Pauline Quinn, 73, was found after paramedics were called to Rayton Spur in Worksop

The Probation Service has apologised for "unacceptable failings" over the case of a convicted double murderer who killed a third person while on licence.

Lawrence Bierton received a whole-life sentence on Wednesday for murdering 73-year-old Pauline Quinn in 2021.

He had been released from prison after being jailed in 1996 for killing two elderly sisters.

The Probation Service said a member of staff had received a formal warning in connection with the case.

Bierton, 63, had been released from prison on licence in 2020 when he was housed next door to Mrs Quinn in Rayton Spur, Worksop, Nottinghamshire.

In November 2021, he beat his neighbour to death with a coffee table after she refused to give him money to buy alcohol.

Following his conviction for her murder earlier this month, Bierton has been told he will never be released from prison.

Lawrence Bierton was found guilty of murdering Mrs Quinn after a two-week trial

At sentencing the judge, Mr Justice Pepperall, described the decision to move Bierton to Rayton Spur - a complex for elderly and vulnerable people - as a "significant mistake".

Bierton had been given a life sentence in 1996 for the murders of Aileen Dudill, 79, and Elsie Gregory, 73, at their home in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, but was released from prison in December 2017 before being recalled in July 2018 due to behaviour concerns.

The Probation Service said a serious case review had already been completed into the handling of Bierton's case, with a serious further offence review also undertaken.

Findings of the reviews are to be shared with Ms Quinn's family but will not be made public.

The service said one member of staff had received a formal warning over the case and changes had been made regarding the management of serious offenders once they leave prison.

A spokesperson said: "We are sorry for the unacceptable failings in this case and our thoughts remain with the family of Pauline Quinn.

"We have taken action to ensure decisions on where serious offenders live once they leave prison can now be reviewed independently and we are injecting more than £155m a year into the Probation Service to recruit thousands more staff to keep the public safe."