Convicted murderer Glyn Razzell has been photographed in public for the first time in over 20 years as a legal battle ensues over his potential release from prison. Razzell was sentenced to life with a minimum of nearly 16 years in 2003 for the murder of his estranged wife, Linda Razzell, whose body has never been recovered. Linda Razzell disappeared in March 2002 while on her way to work at Swindon College in Wiltshire, amidst divorce proceedings.
Parole Board Decision and Ministry of Justice Challenge
The Parole Board had previously ruled three times from 2019 that Razzell should remain incarcerated. However, in April, the board determined that he could be released on license. The Ministry of Justice has since referred this decision to the High Court, arguing in a two-day hearing that the Parole Board did not adequately assess Razzell's risk. Razzell, who attended both days of the hearing in the courtroom dock, is opposing the Ministry of Justice's bid to overturn the release decision.
At the conclusion of the hearing, Razzell was photographed leaving the Royal Courts of Justice in central London. He had last been publicly photographed during his trial at Bristol Crown Court in 2003.
Family Impact and Helen's Law
During the hearing, Linda Razzell's partner, Greg Worrall, stated via video link that Razzell continued to exert "coercive control over people even in death." Worrall told the court that the family had rebuilt their lives believing Razzell could no longer harm them and that they had "picked up the pieces of our shattered lives" with the support of friends and family. He noted that while love and purpose had been found in their new lives, a "sadness which will always be there" remains, particularly on holidays and anniversaries.
Worrall also mentioned that Razzell could have shown remorse and disclosed the location of Linda Razzell's remains during his multiple parole applications. He expressed that the family needs "an end to this ongoing agony" and questioned whether Razzell remains a danger to women and the wider community, suggesting he is committing the crime of preventing a lawful burial.
The Parole Board's decision was made after considering Helen's Law, which mandates that the Parole Board must take into account a killer's refusal to disclose the location of their victim's body. Worrall stated that the family was assured Razzell would not be released if he did not reveal Linda's whereabouts.
Razzell's Defense and Judicial Review
Razzell, from Crewkerne, Somerset, has consistently denied responsibility for the murder. A Parole Board panel in 2023 found that he "does not want to lose his desired status of being a 'wrongly convicted murderer.'" In its April decision, the panel acknowledged "serious doubts" about Razzell's honesty and a "very significant" risk in relationships, though it deemed this risk "not imminent." The panel concluded he would comply with license conditions due to being "strongly motivated not to return to custody."
Matthew Stanbury, representing Razzell, argued that excessive focus should not be placed on a single factor as a "silver bullet in fixing risk." He highlighted that psychologists had extensively assessed Razzell, with one spending 17 hours with him, providing professionals with a "much deeper understanding." Stanbury submitted that the Parole Board's decision was "detailed and thorough" and that the Ministry of Justice's case "comes close to treating denial as conclusive to risk." He asserted that the claimant's case was based on incorrect assumptions that Razzell's denial of his offending and non-completion of offending behavior programs would prevent release.
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb stated at the end of the hearing that her decision would be delivered in a matter of weeks, adding, "I hope there is some movement in the defendant's mind. It is in his hands to do so."