Editing Colin Pitchfork (section)

{{Short description|English child-murderer and rapist (born 1960)}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox criminal
| name              = Colin Pitchfork
| image_name        = Colin Pitchfork.jpg
| image_alt         = Pitchfork booking photograph
| image_caption     = Pitchfork after his arrest in September 1987
| birth_name        = Colin Pitchfork
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|1960|3|23|df=y}}
| birth_place       = [[Littlethorpe, Leicestershire|Littlethorpe]], [[Leicestershire]], UK
| death_date        = 
| death_place       = 
| known_for         = First person convicted using DNA evidence
| alias             = David Thorpe<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fiorillo |first1=Chiara |title=Child killer Colin Pitchfork 'using new name' but must confess crimes to new girlfriend |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/child-killer-colin-pitchfork-using-24896708 |access-date=10 October 2024 |work=[[Daily Mirror]] |date=2 September 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241010082540/https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/child-killer-colin-pitchfork-using-24896708 |archive-date=10 October 2024 |quote=The 61-year-old, who raped and killed two schoolgirls in the 1980s, is said to have been calling himself David Thorpe behind bars in HMP Leyhill.}}</ref>
| charge            = 
| conviction_penalty = [[Life imprisonment]]
| conviction_status = Recalled to prison
| beginyear         = 1979
| endyear           = 1986
| victims           = {{hlist|4+ (sexual assault)|2 (murder)}}
| occupation        = Baker
| alma_mater        = 
| religion          = 
| spouse            = 
| children          = 2
| conviction        = Murder, rape, sexual assault, perverting the course of justice (22 Jan 1988)<ref name="2023PBPH1" />
}}
'''Colin Pitchfork''' (born 23 March 1960) is an English child-murderer and child-rapist. He was the first person convicted of [[rape in English law|rape]] and [[murder in English law|murder]] using [[DNA profiling]] after he [[murder]]ed two girls in neighbouring [[Leicestershire]] villages: Lynda Mann in [[Narborough, Leicestershire|Narborough]] in November 1983 and Dawn Ashworth in [[Enderby, Leicestershire|Enderby]] in July 1986. He was arrested on 19 September 1987 and [[sentence (law)|sentenced]] to [[life imprisonment]] on 22 January 1988 after pleading guilty to both murders. The sentencing judge gave him a 30-year minimum term (reduced to 28 years on appeal).<ref name="2023PBPH1">{{cite report |last=Corby |first=Caroline |date=2 March 2023 |title= Application for a Public Hearing in the case of Mr Colin Pitchfork |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/640726f38fa8f527f7342fd7/Application_for_a_Public_Hearing_in_the_case_of_Pitchfork___2023__PBPH_1_.pdf  |publisher=[[Parole Board for England and Wales]] |location=3rd Floor, 10 South Colonnade, London |pages= 8 |access-date= March 14, 2024}}</ref> 

He was granted [[parole]] in June 2021 and released on licence on 1 September that year. On 19 November the same year, he was recalled to prison for breaching his licence conditions. Pitchfork was granted parole a second time in June 2023, but after intervention from the [[Lord Chancellor]] [[Alex Chalk]], the Parole Board reviewed its decision and decided not to release him.