Maria Pearson, who has served 39 years in prison for the 1986 murder of her love rival Janet Newton, is set to be released after her parole was granted.

Pearson, now 70, was convicted of killing Newton, then 23, by stabbing her 17 times in a ferocious and meticulously planned attack. Pearson was convinced Newton had stolen her partner, Malcolm Pearson, and bought the knife days before stalking her victim. The severity of Newton's injuries initially led police to believe she had been the victim of a hit-and-run.

Pearson was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum tariff of 12 years. However, her release was repeatedly denied by the Parole Board, with nine previous bids for parole being unsuccessful. The Parole Board concluded she remained a danger to society and likely to reoffend.

Pearson was transferred to an open prison twice but was recalled on both occasions due to concerning behavior. The Parole Board's decision to grant her release was described as 'finely balanced,' with the panel concluding that she now poses no more than a minimal risk of further serious offending.

Despite engaging with psychotherapy in prison, Pearson has presented 'ongoing challenges' in her relationships with professionals. While some experts assessed her as a high risk of serious harm, others believed her risk could be managed safely in the community. The Parole Board's summary noted that Ms. Pearson presents a risk of harm, particularly when distressed, challenged, or under pressure, but concluded the risk of serious, violent reoffending is low due to the absence of comparable behavior in custody and the specific circumstances of the original offense.

Lynn, Janet Newton's younger sister, expressed her apprehension about Pearson's release. "I bet she’s panicking. I don’t think she will be able to cope in the outside world," Lynn said. "But, more crucially, will the world be able to cope with Maria?"

Lynn voiced concerns about the risk Pearson might pose, stating, "My biggest concern is how dangerous she is. The prison service has made that clear, but the Parole Board say they can manage her in the community. I think this is a mistake. She’s going to be living next to other human beings, maybe not in our area, but next to someone."

Pearson's conviction stemmed from a complex personal history involving volatile relationships, bigamy charges, and an obsessive fixation on Malcolm Pearson. Lynn recalled her sister Janet as being kind and gentle, a stark contrast to Maria Pearson, whom Lynn described as an "evil psychopath."

Pearson had attempted to frame Malcolm Pearson for the murder. He was arrested at one point but later cleared. Lynn believes Malcolm Pearson, who reportedly became a recluse, may also be at risk due to Maria Pearson's past obsession with him.

As conditions of her release, Pearson is banned from contacting her victim's family or visiting the area where the murder occurred. She will also be electronically tagged for one year.

Janet Newton would have been 63 years old this year. Lynn expressed doubts that Janet and Malcolm Pearson would have remained together, believing their relationship, which began while Malcolm was still involved with Maria, would have eventually ended.

"She was the sweetest person you could meet, and she came up against pure evil," Lynn reflected on her sister's murder. Pearson's crime has been described as one of the most unusual in modern British justice due to the length of her incarceration, exceeding that of Moors murderer Myra Hindley, who served 36 years.

Pearson maintained her innocence for years, only recently accepting some culpability and claiming pre-menstrual or postnatal depression. However, Lynn stated Pearson has never apologized or expressed remorse, making forgiveness impossible for the Newton family.

Pearson's sentence of life imprisonment with a minimum 12-year tariff became 39 years because she could only be released once the Parole Board was satisfied she no longer posed a threat to public safety. Lynn concluded that for the past 20 years, Pearson has been serving time for her behavior in custody rather than for the original crime.