Life should mean life: Family fears for safety as 'Dumfries murderer' who murdered father is released on license

The grieving family of a man murdered while on the run by a murderer and rapist said they believed his release from prison was “dangerous” and that “he would offend again”, calling for him to remain behind bars.

Philip Haselip, a 52-year-old musician, was stabbed and stabbed to death by Rikki Stewart, now 48. They later learned she was wanted for the September 2001 killing of Donald Nicholson and the August 2003 rape of a 53-year-old grandmother.

Stewart, also known as the Dumfries murderer, was sentenced to life in prison in August 2004 for the murder of Philip. He later received a further 12 years for Mr Nicholson's murder and 10 years for rape after pleading guilty to all three crimes.

While serving his sentence, Stewart was denied parole seven times, but the family has now been told he has been released without a GPS tag on a temporary license, meaning he can leave the undisclosed open minimum security prison where he is Periods are recorded.

Philip's daughter Lynette Haselip, 39, told PA Real Life the government had “made a big mistake” after receiving the devastating news via email three weeks ago and has now launched a petition to have him locked up for life to keep.

“I don’t think he can ever change,” she said.

“He killed my father while he was on the run from the other murder and rape.

“So we were constantly let down from the beginning, not just now.”

Philip, known as Mick to family and friends, was found wrapped in a duvet in the laundry room of his home in Finland Way on the Danesholme estate in Corby, North Northamptonshire, on November 18, 2003, after being hit over the head with a roll was from wallpaper and was stabbed three times in the chest.

His identical twin brother Tony, 72, Lynette's uncle, said: “How many murders do you have to commit before you face a real life sentence?”

“It’s not a life sentence, is it? His recommended serve ended up being nine years.

“If a bank robber receives a minimum sentence of 30 years, how come a double murderer and rapist receives a recommended minimum sentence of less than nine years? It's just incredible.

“Life should mean life – he should never have been let out.”

Lynette, who was 19 at the time, remembers visiting his studio apartment in the days before her father's murder.

“I was very close to my father,” she said.

“Rikki Stewart actually opened the door for me when I knocked and he let me in.

“I asked him who he was and he said he was just there to have a drink with my dad.”

Lynette asked her father if he wanted anything from the store, but he declined and said they would see each other that weekend.

“That was the last time I saw my father,” she said.

Lynette returned to the property every day for the next three days, but there was no response.

On Tuesday, November 2003, she received a strange text message from her father's phone.

“The text said 'How are you?' but that wasn't the way my dad would normally message him,” Lynette said.

Later that day, she walked past after work and noticed the front door was locked from the inside and raised the alarm.

“The door wasn’t right when I knocked,” she said.

“I tried the handle and could see it was locked from the inside with a latch and I couldn’t see anything through the windows.”

Her brother Christopher then visited the property and upon leaving met Stewart – who told him: “Your father is inside.”

That's when Phillip's body was found – he had been stabbed and beaten to death by Stewart.

“The rest is a little blurry to me after this point,” Lynette said.

Stewart, then 28, pleaded guilty at Northampton Crown Court in August 2004 to murdering Philip, for which he was given a life sentence and told he would have to serve a minimum of eight years, three months and four days in prison before he could be released on parole.

The couple had met two months earlier in a homeless shelter in Corby, it was revealed during the trial.

They had a “heavy drinking session” in Philip's room at the weekend, with Judge Charles Wide QC concluding: “The murder, in this case murder, is completely inexplicable other than as an alcohol-induced expression of obvious rage.”

It later emerged that Stewart, described as a homeless alcoholic, was actually on the run at the time of Philip's murder because of other crimes he had committed in Scotland.

He pleaded guilty to the rape and assault of a 53-year-old grandmother at a family party in Dumfries, Scotland, the BBC reported at the time, for which he was given a concurrent 10-year prison sentence on July 1, 2005.

He also confessed to killing his mother's boyfriend, Donald Nicholson, on September 11, 2001, after being charged with involuntary manslaughter, for which he received an extended sentence of 12 years behind bars and five years on enhanced license.

Since 2012, the double murderer and rapist has applied for parole seven times, but has always been rejected.

In 2022, a panel again concluded that Stewart was not suitable for publication.

The report lists risk factors from the time of his offending, including “willingness to use weapons, use of extreme violence with little or no provocation, loss of control and memory following alcohol consumption, lack of anger and emotional control, impulsivity and an unstable lifestyle in association.” on substance abuse.”

Regarding his rape conviction, the report also refers to Stewart “believing he had a right to have sex as and when he wanted, and that he preferred sex to violence or controlling behavior, had a negative attitude toward women.” and didn’t care about the impact of his actions on other people.”

It also said Stuart's risk of re-offending was reduced due to his “positive engagement” with a psychologist, his “good work ethic” and his stable behavior in open conditions with “no signs of impulsivity or irresponsibility”.

Stuart, then 46, completed an “accredited program to combat sexual behavior” as well as a “training course on better thinking and decision-making,” the report said.

However, three weeks ago, Lynette and Tony were informed via email that Stewart was now released on a fixed-term license ahead of his next parole hearing, scheduled for April 29, 2024.

Since 2019, prison governors have had greater autonomy in releasing prisoners on temporary licenses.

“So far he has had seven parole board meetings and each time he has been recommended as unsuitable for release,” Tony said.

Lynette, who has two children aged 13 and 10 who she declined to name for safety reasons, added: “The Justice Department has made a big mistake.

“I'm disappointed. They believe people will make the right decisions to protect the public.

“I never thought I would have to explain what happened to my children, let alone him being out.”

The family said they feel “let down” by the justice system and now fear for their safety as they have been told that Stuart “is not currently subject to GPS tagging when he is temporarily released.”

“The whole family is shocked that something like this could happen,” Lynette said.

“He has never shown any remorse for what he did.

“It’s just not acceptable, it’s dangerous and he’ll offend again, I’m absolutely sure.”

The family are calling for him to be put back behind bars for the rest of his life and are desperate for the public to become aware of the crimes he committed, insisting he is “dangerous”.

On April 3, 2024, they launched a petition on Change.org that has so far collected more than 500 signatures.

“Staying silent wasn’t an option,” Tony said.

Lynette, who said she had no words for her father's killer, said: “My father was an incredibly talented musician.

“I was always a daddy’s girl (and) he just loved.

“Growing up, I never heard anything bad about my dad – he was just a lovely man.”

The family believes Stewart “has never shown any remorse” and said they will “never know what happened the day” Philip was murdered.

“He will always have that over us,” Lynette said, and her uncle added, “We have a life sentence.”

The petition can be found at: www.change.org/p/double-murderer-and-rapist-to-be-released

A Prison Service spokesman said: “Rikki Stewart's crimes were horrific and our thoughts are with the families and friends of his victims.”

“Prisoners are released on the day of their release only after a careful risk assessment, must adhere to strict rules and face additional time behind bars if they do not comply.”