Daughter of Wendy Speakes on ‘appalling’ plan to move murdering Leeds rapist Christopher Farrow to open prison
The daughter of a woman who was raped and murdered by a shoe fetish killer from Leeds said she was “shocked and appalled” by a decision to transfer him to an open prison.
Christopher Farrow is serving a life sentence for the sadistic murder of Wendy Speakes at her home on Balne Lane, Wakefield, on March 15, 1994.
Farrow has spent almost 25 years in prison since being given a life sentence in November 2000.
The dad-of-three forced his way into his victim’s home before tying her up with a pair of stockings and forcing her to wear a pair of blue mule shoes.
The 51-year-old receptionist was then raped and stabbed to death.
The Parole Board has rejected Farrow’s bid to be released from custody but recommended that he be transferred to an open prison following a hearing held in February.
Mrs Speakes’ daughter, Tracey Millington Jones, who has campaigned for Farrow to never be released, spoke of her anger at the decision.
She said: “I am deeply shocked and appalled by the Parole Board’s recommendation to transfer Christopher John Farrow to an open prison in preparation for his release.
“Farrow cold-bloodedly and premeditatedly murdered my mother, having stalked women both before and after her death.
“He harbours a deeply rooted hatred of women and has exhibited violent urges to kill when experiencing anger or difficulties in relationships.
“Only 22 months ago, he was deemed too great a risk to be released. What has changed in such a short time to now justify this decision?
“There can be no guarantee that he no longer poses a danger – because, in reality, there is none.”
A Parole Board report, released on Monday (March 24), said Farrow, now aged 63, had undertaken accredited programmes in prison to address his sexual offending as well as one-on-one sessions with a psychologist.
The panel heard he had “developed insight into his risk factors and had gained skills in custody linked to his emotional management and problem solving.”
Referring to the Parole Board panel’s decision, the report adds: “The panel noted that the index offences was a brutal, sexual, and violent attack.
“Although Mr Farrow had completed extensive work in custody to explore his offending behaviour, the panel considered that it was only his recent work that had allowed professionals to say that he had shown insight into his offending.
“Release was not supported by witnesses and the panel was not satisfied that release at this point would be safe for the protection of the public.”
Farrow’s case will be sent to the Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood MP who will decide whether the move to open prison will go ahead.
Ms Millington-Jones urged Home Secretary Yvette Cooper “to reject this reckless recommendation and prioritise the safety of women by preventing a serial stalker and murderer from being reintegrated into society.”
She added: “For the protection of women, I implore Yvette Cooper to do what is right and ensure that Christopher John Farrow remains incarcerated”.
It is the fourth time Farrow has been rejected by the Parole Board.
He has been locked up seven years beyond his minimum jail term of 18 years.
After a hearing in 2018 the Parole Board recommended Farrow be moved to an open prison in preparation for release but he was soon returned to a secure prison.
At hearings in 2020 and 2023 he was again assessed as unsuitable for release.
Farrow, from Cookridge, Leeds, was given a life sentence with a minimum tariff of 18 years after pleading guilty to murder.
He was given determinate sentences of 14 years for rape and a further serious sex offence.
Farrow was also given a four-year sentence for the attempted burglary of another woman’s house with intent to rape her on the same day, less than an hour earlier.
He was caught after a six-year manhunt when advances in fingerprint technology linked him to a partial print found at the scene.
Farrow’s fingerprints were taken by police after he was arrested for drink-driving while he was still at large following the murder.
Ms Millington-Jones previously told the Local Democracy Reporting Service:
“Farrow has never shown any remorse.
“He took a pair of my mother’s shoes as a murder trophy and has never revealed where he has hidden them.
“Since his parole hearing in 2018, other women have come forward to me to say they were targeted by him.
“It is my belief he offended before and after he did what he did to my mum and that he is a serial predatory stalker of women.
“You don’t just wake up one day and stalk, plan and prepare a murder kit then rape and stab a stranger to death without building up to it.
“He obviously had a thirst for more as he was out stalking and attempting to get women on their own in their homes within weeks of murdering my lovely mum.
“In my opinion this man could have gone on to be the next Yorkshire Ripper.”