Daughter of murdered Wendy Speakes fears as parole hearing approaches for her killer

Christopher Farrow, now 61, tied up receptionist Wendy Speakes, 51, with a pair of stockings, forced her to wear blue mule shoes before raping and stabbing her to death in 1994.

The grim discovery of Wendy's body at her home in Wakefield sparked a six-year manhunt for sadistic Farrow, of Leeds, who was jailed for life in 2000.

He was also given concurrent sentences for rape, a further serious sexual offence and attempted burglary and is feared to have stalked at least one other women before the killing.

But Farrow was moved to an open prison in preparation for release by parole chiefs in 2018.

Now, ahead of his third parole meeting in six years on Friday (November 25), Wendy's daughter Tracey Millington-Jones said she hopes he stays behind bars for life.

She said: "It took him six years to be caught, so when he's released - what's the point?

"He could be back in society and is a dangerous psychopath who stalked, planned and pre-mediated to murder a lady who we think was his intended victim.

"But we also don't know if my mum was a secondary victim because he does the stalking and planning beforehand.

"So you're telling me that he's 61-years-old, and has a hatred of women, and a shoe fetish - and now all of that is gone and he's now a good person?

"I don't think that anyone on the parole board would want him next door living to them."

In 2020 the Parole Board ruled for a second time he was not suitable for release but a fresh review is due to be heard on Friday.

During his trial, jurors heard Farrow had put a pair of women's shoes on display during the attack because he liked "looking at shoes when having sex".

He also forced Wendy to wear another pair of shoes while carrying out the attack after tying her up with tights before stabbing her 11 times at her home.

Farrow initially tried to rape a barmaid and followed her for several days and unsuccessfully tried to get into her home.

He then targeted Wendy, who he spoke to on the doorstep before forcing his way into her house.

He said he carried out the rape because his sex life with his partner was "absolutely zero", his murder trial heard.

Tracey, who has long campaigned to keep her mother's killer locked up forever, added: "It's concerning that the parole board would even consider releasing this man when you've had all these other women who have been murdered by strangers.

"You need to take violence against women seriously across society and take action to take these dangerous murderers like Farrow locked up before more lives are lost.

"Farrow has not been near a woman for over 22 years and they think he's safe to be released into society.

"Anyone who makes a decision to release someone like this, who is going onto be the next Yorkshire Ripper with a shoe fetish, has blood on their hands.

"If they do release him and he murders again, I'll be shouting from the roof tops and telling the family of the murdered woman they need to take the parole board to court."

Tracey, a married mother-of-on, paid tribute to her 'lovely' mum and even the police had said 'they had never come across such a loved and liked lady.'

She said: "She was just lovely and nobody had a bad word to say about her.

"When the police did the investigation, they even said they had never come across such a loved and liked lady which is what she was.

"She was very kind, considerate, hard working and always put everybody first before herself.

"When Farrow knocked on her door, rather than shutting the door on him, she tried to get rid of him by writing an address down for him.

"That was when he distracted her and walked through the door.

"She was quite a private person and wasn't overly sociable, she was quite happy living on her own after my mum and dad got divorced.

"She was just a lovely person and absolutely everybody loved her."

Tracey, of Wakefield, is also urging for anyone with any information on Farrow to come forward.

She believes that the more information and evidence she has against her mum's killer, means he has a smaller chance of being released in the future.

Tracey said: "Women need to be safe and releasing Farrow means women will not be safe.

"If there is anyone out there who has ever come across him, or is able to give us information to keep him locked up then please come forward.

"Please help me keep him locked up.

"If anyone who wants to come forward who knows anything to keep him locked up, then just please come forward."