Triple child killer David McGreavy released, mother told Published duration 11 June 2019

media caption David McGreavy: Mum's anger as triple child killer freed

A woman whose three children were murdered by the same man has been informed their killer has been released from prison.

David McGreavy killed Elsie Urry's children, Paul Ralph, four, Dawn, two, and nine-month-old Samantha, at their Worcester home in 1973.

Ms Urry said she was informed of his release by Victim Support on Tuesday.

The Ministry of Justice said McGreavy "will be on licence for the rest of his life and subject to strict conditions".

Now living in Hampshire, Ms Urry was told McGreavy would be subject to exclusion zones following his release

She said: "They said he was going in for life and then they changed it for [a minimum of] 20 years, but he hasn't done 60 years. He took three lives, not just one or two; three."

image copyright Mercury Press image caption David McGreavy was jailed for the killings in 1973

McGreavy, who was dubbed the "Monster of Worcester", was 21 and lodging with the family at the time of the murders. He had been staying with them because he had fallen out with his parents.

He strangled Paul at the home in Gillam Street, Rainbow Hill, while Dawn was found with her throat cut. Samantha died from a compound fracture to the skull and the bodies of all three children were left on railings.

The possibility of McGreavy's release has been discussed for at least 10 years and a previous appeal was denied in 2016

But in December it was revealed a Parole Board report said McGreavy had "changed considerably" over 45 years in jail

Ms Urry had been able to have input on the conditions that McGreavy would be subject to upon release, and said the exclusion zones imposed on him had been extended slightly after discussions with her.

Speaking to BBC Hereford and Worcester, she said: "It gives me a bit of peace of mind but it is still not fair he has been released after what he has done.

"There's other prisoners that haven't done half as bad as what he did to my children and they haven't been put up for parole, so what has made him be able to get parole?"

image copyright Ralph family image caption Elsie Ralph sits with her three children (l-r) Paul, Samantha and Dawn

Conservative MP for Worcester Robin Walker, who has repeatedly written to successive justice ministers and home secretaries objecting to McGreavy's release, said: "Frankly, I don't think someone who carried out such crimes should ever be let out.

"I understand there are strict curfew and tag conditions and he is banned from Worcester, and the area where Ms Urry lives."

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "We understand that this will be extremely distressing for the family of David McGreavy's victims and our thoughts remain with them.

"Like all life sentence prisoners released by the independent Parole Board, David McGreavy will be on licence for the rest of his life and subject to strict conditions - and faces a return to prison if he fails to comply."