Victim’s family brands killer’s parole hearing a ‘shambles’

Billingham: So, there was this parole hearing for William Dunlop, the guy who killed Julie Hogg back in 1989. It was a total mess! The victim’s family couldn’t hear anything because of some tech issues. Can you believe that?

The hearing kicked off late, over an hour behind schedule. It was supposed to be streamed live from the prison where Dunlop is locked up. But, with all the fuss, the family missed out on the important stuff.

Julie’s mom, Ann Ming, was really upset. She said it was an “absolute shambles” since they couldn’t catch a word of what was going on. It’s just heartbreaking for them.

During the hearing, a prison worker said they think Dunlop has shown “genuine remorse” for what he did. That didn’t sit well with Julie’s family, who groaned at the comment. They’ve been through so much already.

There were also some old allegations against Dunlop that he denied. The panel didn’t get into the details, but it sounds like there’s a lot more to this guy than meets the eye.

While in prison, Dunlop has been helping other inmates and even took an IT course. But guess what? He accidentally got internet access for a bit! They fixed it quickly, but still, it’s a bit concerning.

Ann Ming fought for 15 years to get justice for her daughter. Dunlop was tried twice, but juries couldn’t agree. He later confessed while serving time for another crime, thinking he was untouchable because of some old laws.

Thanks to Ann’s efforts, the law changed, and Dunlop was retried. He ended up getting a life sentence with a minimum of 15 years. Now, he’s up for parole, and the family just wants to make sure he stays behind bars.

Parole hearings usually happen behind closed doors, but new rules let some be public. This case was unique, so they decided to let people in. Dunlop still has to give his side, and the hearing is ongoing.