Britain's 'forgotten inmate' locked up longer than any other woman could finally go free

dailystar.co.uk:

prisoner” who has been locked up for 35 years could be about to finally be released.Maria Pearson, now 66, has been behind bars for three and a half decades after stabbing her ex-boyfriend's new girlfriend to death in 1986.She was sent to prison when she was 31 years old and was made to serve a minimum of 12 years caged up. READ MORE: Nicola Bulley police search caravan site close to bench where phone was found She has since gone on to serve an extra 23 years.Now finally, in the next few weeks, she will discover whether she could be released after stabbing Janet Newton 17 times with a sheaf knife.Pearson is understood to have stalked and shouted abuse at Janet on the street prior to the killing.She hunted the building society worker in Hartlepool before making her vicious attack.Janet and Pearson’s ex-partner had become engaged two days beforehand.Pearson had a parole hearing on January 17 but an order was put in for extra checks to be made and the process was adjourned.The reports included the likes of psychiatric reports, plans for her reintroduction into society and the opinions of her jailers.

MailOnline reports that it is a priority for officials that the conditions for her release are faultless and there is no danger posed to the community.

A source told the publication: “Maria is the prison system's forgotten inmate. When jailed, Three Men and a Baby was the biggest movie of the year and Rick Astley was Number One.“Maria vows she is reformed, but nobody on the Parole Board wants to make a mistake.