The family of a mother killed by her pilot husband in a violent attack on her home has called on Attorney General Dominic Raab to prevent her release from prison.
British Airways Captain Robert Brown bludgeoned his wife Joanna to death with a hammer in October 2010 while their two young children huddled in a playroom.
Brown, who told police he had been “sewn up” under a prenuptial agreement, then dumped the 46-year-old’s body in a makeshift coffin in windsor Great Park.
He was acquitted of murder by a jury at Reading Crown Court in May 2011, but was arrested on the basis of having admitted manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility.
Brown was sentenced to 24 years for manslaughter and an additional two years for the crime of obstructing a coroner in the performance of his duty.
He is due to be released from prison on leave in November, halfway through his sentence.
But Joanna’s mother, Diana Parkes, is campaigning to stop her release, which she believes is “absurd”.
The 83-year-old is asking the attorney general to step in and block Brown’s release. Lord Raab “promised to give this case his closest personal attention.”
Speaking about Brown’s release, Parkes said: “Our family is very scared.
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“Not just our family, but my daughter’s friends and indeed the general public. I fear for the women he may come into contact with.”
Requesting an intervention from Mr. Raab, Mrs. Parkes said: “I urge him to look into our case very carefully and see how utterly nonsensical it is that Brown is being released in the middle of his sentence when the Probation Service is understaffed.
“And I ask who is going to monitor him for 13 years of his license?
“I really don’t believe the Probation Service is capable of doing that.”
A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said: “This was a terrible crime and our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Joanna Simpson.
“The Deputy Prime Minister will do everything in his power to keep the most dangerous criminals behind bars and has pledged to give this case his closest personal attention.”
A charity set up in Joanna’s honor, the Joanna Simpsons Foundation, is urging people to send a letter to the MP asking for Brown’s release to be stopped.
The charity is also set to host an event next week in Westminster where it will launch its campaign.
Among those invited to speak at the event are the former Minister of the Interior Priti Pateland Carrie Johnson, wife of the former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.