Lorraine Thorpe: Disturbing Facts About the Ipswich Murderer and What's Next

Lorraine Thorpe, Britain's youngest double murderer, will need more time before gaining her freedom. Thorpe, who killed her father, Desmond Thorpe, and a woman named Rosalyn Hunt in August 2009, won't be released just yet.

Instead of being released for the heinous crimes, Thorpe may be moving to an open facility instead. This was after the Parole Board agreed that it would be best for the Ipswich native to undergo further testing in less restrictive prison conditions, BBC News reported.

'After considering the circumstances of her offending, the progress made while in custody and the evidence presented at the hearing, the panel agreed that Ms Thorpe should not be released,' the Parole Board said in a statement.

Thorpe was only 15 when she murdered her father, Desmond Thorpe, and a woman named Rosalyn Hunt in 2009. She had a 41-year-old accomplice at the time, identified as Paul Clarke.

Clarke was sentenced to a 27-year minimum term in relation to the murders. However, Paul would die several years later while in prison.

Thorpe Was 'Out of Control'

Although it could be argued that Clarke coerced Thorpe into the murders, the courts felt otherwise. Mr Justice Saunders saw Lorraine as manipulative, citing how the teen didn't show any kind of remorse after the crime.

'She found violence funny and entertaining,' Saunders argued. 'Far from being sorry, Lorraine appears to have gloried in it, describing to her friends at one stage how she stamped on Rosalyn's head,' he added.

However, he did take into consideration the situation and upbringing of Thorpe. The father and daughter were living in squalid flats or tents at the time. Aside from that, Lorraine spent a lot of her time with middle-aged alcoholics – factors which could have compromised her judgement.

With these in mind, these are likely the reasons why Lorraine Thorpe has been refused parole. Her first parole request was in 2023 and the second was earlier this month. This was after she did not meet the criteria for release, Sky News reported.

Open Prison Better Than Premature Release

Hence, the Parole Board feels that being in open prison can help Thorpe immensely, especially once she steps back into the real world. A prison reform campaigner, David Shipley concurred with this course of action. He agrees that open prison can help the 31-year-old return to society successfully.

'The most important thing about an open prison is that it allows the authorities to test how prisoners respond to having more freedom,' Shipley, who was jailed for fraud in 2020, stated to BBC Suffolk's Sarah Lilley.

For Shipley, keeping a person in prison for many years raises questions. Although it is a way to help them reform, it remains that they still need to be tested when exposed to other people.

Considering the personality Thorpe showed after the two murders in 2009, the decision of the Parole Board is understandable. Because of her crimes, Lorraine was not brought up in a civil manner, which is why being in an open prison could help in her development.

Although she is 31 now, an open prison could be the final step for Thorpe to regain her freedom. She needs to prove that she knows right from wrong, a must to avoid being imprisoned again for making bad decisions in the future.