Joanna Simpson: Former British Airways pilot who beat wife to death with claw hammer has release from prison blocked

Robert Brown beat his wife Joanna Simpson to death with a claw hammer in their family home in Windsor in October 2010, as their two young children cowered in a playroom.

Alex Chalk has confirmed he will use new powers to stop Brown being released automatically and instead get the case reviewed by the Parole Board.

The announcement marks a victory for Ms Simpson's loved ones who have been calling for such a move. Her mother, who raised Joanna in York, previously told The Yorkshire Post her daughter’s killer was still dangerous.

Brown was cleared of murder, having admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, and was due to be released on licence next month after serving 13 years of a 26-year sentence.

Mr Chalk's referral - which was enabled following changes introduced through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 - overrides Brown's automatic release.

The Parole Board, an independent body that carries out risk assessments on prisoners to determine whether they can be safely released, will make a decision on whether to release Brown in due course, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said.

Mr Chalk's referral has been made under "power to detain" provisions. These are designed to protect the public from dangerous offenders if they present a significant risk of causing serious harm that cannot be safely managed through usual licence conditions, the MoJ said.

Mr Chalk said: "Joanna Simpson was bludgeoned and buried at the hands of Robert Brown, which left two children without a mother and caused irreparable harm to her family and loved ones. I made a commitment to Joanna's family that I would give this case my closest personal attention.

"Having reviewed all the information available to me, I have blocked Brown's automatic release and referred this case to the Parole Board using powers we introduced to protect the public from the most dangerous offenders."

Relatives and friends of Ms Simpson had called on Mr Chalk to block her killer's automatic release and refer the case to the Parole Board.

Last month, Ms Simpson's best friend Hetti Barkworth-Nanton, who also chairs domestic abuse charity Refuge, told BBC Breakfast the prospect of Brown's imminent release made her feel "physically sick".

She said: "It is terrifying, absolutely terrifying. It is his legal right to be let out of prison unless the Lord Chancellor intervenes with the new power that he was given last year."

Ms Simpson's mother Diana Parkes told the broadcaster it is "essential for all of us" that Brown remains in prison.

She added: "He actually brutally killed her with a claw hammer, 14 times hitting her on the head. That is so evil. He is toxic, he's a bully, he just should not be let out of prison."

Brown, formerly of Winkfield in Berkshire, was sentenced to 24 years for manslaughter and a further two years for an offence of obstructing a coroner in the execution of his duty.

He killed Ms Simpson one week before the finalisation of their divorce and dumped her body in a makeshift coffin in Windsor Great Park.

The Parole Board has been approached for comment.