A convicted murderer who killed his wife and has kept silent about the location of her body is poised to leave prison following a recent decision by the Parole Board.
Glyn Razzell, who was imprisoned in 2003 for the murder of his estranged wife Linda, vanished on her way to work in Swindon a year earlier. Despite being in his late 60s now and maintaining his innocence, he has never disclosed what happened to her.
Razzell has sought parole multiple times over the years, and despite the Board acknowledging the ongoing cruelty of his refusal, he has been granted release in the latest review. The Board’s decision was solely based on assessing the potential risk to the public upon his release, concluding that he no longer poses a threat, despite his continued lack of cooperation.
During a previous parole hearing in 2023, which was denied, Razzell admitted to the panel that his wife is likely deceased, after previously suggesting she might still be alive. The latest decision rationale was disclosed in a document provided to the BBC, sparking anger from Linda’s relatives.
Greg Worrall, Linda’s fiancé at the time of her disappearance, expressed distress over the ruling, stating that it adds another layer of stress for the family. The family believes the decision violates Helen’s Law, a critical legislation that directs the Parole Board to consider the anguish caused by killers who withhold information about their victims’ whereabouts.
Helen’s Law, enacted in 2020 in memory of Helen McCourt, requires murderers like Ian Simms, who refused to disclose the location of his victim’s remains until his death in 2022, to face the consequences. The Parole Board took this law into account when deciding on Razzell’s case.
Responding to the family’s concerns, the Board asserted that the failure to reveal the victim’s body’s location should not prevent release. The Ministry of Justice confirmed it is exploring options to challenge the Board’s decision through the reconsideration process, evaluating grounds for contesting the ruling.
Linda Razzell was last seen in March 2002, while parking her car in Swindon amid divorce proceedings with her estranged husband. Razzell initially cooperated with media appeals but was later arrested, charged, and convicted of her murder based on forensic evidence, including traces of her blood in a car he had used. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 16 years.