Mairead Philpott, 39, was released from HMP Send in Surrey on the very first day she became eligible for release on licence, sparking widespread outrage. Crime campaigners condemned the decision, with David Spencer from the Centre for Crime Prevention stating, “Justice has not been done. Child killers like Mairead Philpott should not be free to roam the streets.”
Philpott was sentenced to 17 years for the manslaughter of her six children in a horrific arson attack, but was released after serving just 8½ years. Critics highlighted that she has served barely more than a year for each of the innocent lives she took.
Sources revealed that Philpott arrived at a halfway house in a convoy more fitting for a celebrity than a convicted mother. She was escorted by undercover police officers and taken into the hostel under cover of darkness, wearing a hood and mask while holding official papers. The convoy included an Audi Q3, with police and staff carrying her belongings in a transparent prison bag. The operation was described as “massive” and “costly,” raising questions amid ongoing budget cuts.
Philpott faces a strict curfew from 7pm to 7am and is expected to remain in the hostel for three months before being released under a new identity. She will receive offender supervision, life coaching, counselling, yoga, and therapy, all funded by taxpayers to protect her new identity.
Her mother, Vera Philpott, 62, who has disowned her, said from Derby, “I don’t want her near my door. The sentence is not nearly long enough.”
Philpott and her husband Mick planned the arson attack at their Derby council home in 2012. Their intention was to frame Mick’s ex-girlfriend and secure a larger house. Six children died in the blaze: Jade, John, Jack, Jesse, Jayden, and Mairead’s son Duwayne, who died days later.
Mick Philpott received a life sentence with a minimum tariff of 15 years. Mairead and their accomplice Paul Mosley were each sentenced to 17 years, with a requirement to serve at least half. The judge condemned Mairead for prioritising Mick over her own children in what was described as a “wicked and dangerous plan.”
Before the attack, Mick Philpott had appeared on ITV’s Jeremy Kyle Show, boasting about his chaotic family life, including having 15 children with five women. While in prison, Mairead Philpott sent letters expressing a desire to have more children with a boyfriend.
The release has caused heartbreak and anger among locals in Derby. A former neighbour said, “Seeing those tiny coffins was heart wrenching. The justice system is completely wrong.”
A Prison Service source reminded the public that offenders released on licence face strict conditions and can be returned to prison if they breach these terms.
Campaigners are calling for urgent reforms, urging the Home Secretary to overhaul sentencing laws to ensure that killers like Mairead Philpott serve sentences that reflect the severity of their crimes.
Originally published by UKNIP.
