Glyn Razzell, 66, who was convicted of murdering his estranged wife Linda Razzell in 2003 and whose victim's body has never been found, will remain incarcerated after London's High Court reversed a Parole Board decision that would have allowed his release.
Linda Razzell disappeared in March 2002 while on her way to work at Swindon College in Wiltshire, during divorce proceedings. Her daughter, Catherine, has stated that Razzell's continued refusal to reveal the location of her mother's remains prevents the family from finding peace. "By choosing to withhold the only information that could provide us with some comfort and closure, and preventing us from being able to hold a funeral for our much-loved mother, he is clearly demonstrating he is still abusive – retaining power over the situation and prioritising his narrative, where he can deny killing her, despite being found guilty and given a life sentence," Catherine Razzell said in a statement.
Legal Challenge and Court Ruling
The Parole Board had previously ruled three times from 2019 that Razzell should be kept in prison, but in April, it decided he could be released on license. The Ministry of Justice subsequently referred this decision to the High Court, arguing that the Parole Board had not adequately considered Razzell's risk to the public. Razzell, who attended the two-day hearing, opposed the Ministry of Justice's bid to overturn the release decision.
In her ruling on Friday, Mrs. Justice Cheema-Grubb quashed the Parole Board's decision. She stated, "I am not satisfied that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public that Glyn Razzell be confined." The judge added that she was "not persuaded that the risk has diminished to such a level that offender management is capable of keeping the public safe if the defendant is released."
Family's Reaction and Continued Anguish
Linda Razzell's relatives and loved ones had urged the court to block the release, with her cousin Julie Westmore expressing fears that "all hope of ever finding Linda’s remains will be lost" if the killer were freed. Linda's partner, Greg Worrall, told the court that Razzell was exerting "coercive control over people even in death." He added that the family needed an "end to this ongoing agony."
Catherine Razzell described the High Court's decision as a "relief" for her and her family. She emphasized that her father's continuing refusal to disclose her mother's whereabouts is "cruel" and that the family wants him to acknowledge his actions, show remorse, and reveal the location of Linda's body so they can finally lay her to rest.
Background of the Case
Razzell was jailed for life with a minimum of almost 16 years in 2003 for the murder. He is currently held in an open prison in Suffolk and has both a job and a property outside the prison. The decision to overturn the Parole Board's release came after consideration of Helen's Law, named after Helen McCourt, who disappeared in 1988. This law requires the Parole Board to consider a killer's refusal to disclose the location of their victim's body.
Mrs. Justice Cheema-Grubb noted in her ruling that there were "significant gaps" in Razzell’s "understanding of the risk he poses," and that his refusal to disclose the location of Mrs. Razzell’s body had caused "profound anguish." She also cited "inherent vulnerabilities" including a "need for control" and a "propensity to violence against women" as reasons why he remains a danger. The judge concluded that Razzell's failure to undertake substantive risk reduction work meant he remained, in terms of internal controls, "the same man he was when he killed Linda."