Mother of Joanne Tulip calls for tougher restrictions on violent offenders after release from prison
On Christmas Day 1997, 29-year-old Joanne Tulip was raped and stabbed 60 times by Steven Ling. The violent attack happened at Ling's home in Stamfordham, Northumberland. He was jailed for life.
After serving 27 years, Ling was recommended for release from prison. Joanne's mother Doreen Soulsby called on the Parole Board to reconsider, but the request was rejected and Ling was released in January 2025.
Now, Doreen would like tougher restrictions for violent offenders once they're out of prison, including where they can go. Ms Soulsby met Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood on Tuesday to discuss tougher restrictions.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday (16 July) Ms Soulsby said Justice Secretary "listened attentively" and had looked in great detail at the document sent by Ms Soulsby ahead of the meeting.
Among the changes to the parole system she's campaigning for are a change to the restraining orders placed on offenders.
Soulsby would like to see exclusion zones (which prevent a perpetrator from entering an area where their victims live) replaced with inclusion zones (which instead restrict the movements of perpetrators to a set perimeter). This would mean victims would be free to roam the country in the knowledge their aggressor is contained in a single zone.
"At the minute with an exclusion zone, he's got the freedom of the rest of the country, whereas if there was an inclusion zone, we would have the freedom, because the victims haven't done anything wrong."
She also called for victims to be able to access more information on perpetrators progress in prison.
Soulsby told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "once an offender goes into prison a brick wall goes up. You get nothing back.
"I just want to know what he's doing, has he shown any remorse? What work is he doing? What courses?
"All we get on an annual basis is what category of prison he's in."
Soulsby confirmed the justice secretary had committed to looking into what more information could be given to victims.
Following his fifth parole hearing, Ling was recommended for release into the community, subject to conditions including informing authorities of any relationships he might develop; being subject to monitoring and a curfew, and remaining outside an exclusion zone to avoid contact with his victim's family.
The Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood asked the Parole Board to reconsider the recommendation to release him on the basis that it was 'legally irrational'.
However, on the Parole Board confirmed this application had been rejected and its original decision had been upheld, meaning the killer would be released.
A spokesperson for the Parole Board said: 'A Judge at the Parole Board considered the application for reconsideration and has decided, based on the evidence, that it will be refused.
"Decisions of the Parole Board are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public and whether that risk is manageable in the community.
"When assessing the reconsideration application, the Judge recognised the very significant gravity of the case and the profound ongoing impact on the victim's family."
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