Lorraine Thorpe: How a Schoolgirl Became Britain’s Youngest Female Double Murderer and the Parole Board Decision

On 24 February, lorraine thorpe was told she could be moved to an open prison, a development that follows a long custodial history after her 2010 conviction for two murders. The case remains notable for the brutality of the crimes, the ages of those involved at the time, and repeated Parole Board refusals that left her in secure custody for her entire adult life.

Lorraine Thorpe and the Parole Board decision

The Parole Board has concluded that Thorpe should still not be released but could be transferred to an open facility to be tested in less restrictive conditions before any consideration of release. The panel’s decision, issued on 24 February, leaves the sentence intact while permitting movement to an environment designed to assess risk under lower security settings.

The crimes in Ipswich and the victims

The offences took place in August 2009 in Ipswich. Thorpe, then 15, and her street drinking associate Paul Clarke held a mother-of-two, Rosalyn Hunt, captive in her flat on Victoria Street. Hunt was tortured for days using a cheese grater, a fan and dog lead chains; salt was rubbed into her wounds before she was beaten to death. Officers found Hunt dead in her home after a member of the public raised the alarm on 9 August. The sustained abuse was said to have been motivated by Clarke’s anger over an incident in which Hunt had reportedly allowed his dog to attack a child.

The killing of Desmond Thorpe

After Hunt’s body was discovered, Thorpe and Clarke were confronted by Thorpe’s father, Desmond Thorpe, who threatened to report them to the police. The pair attacked Desmond Thorpe and smothered him to death. A footprint of his 15-year-old daughter’s trainer was left on his head. Desmond Thorpe is described in the case material as disabled.

Background, associations and upbringing

Thorpe was known to local authorities from an early age. She was raised in poverty in Ipswich, living with her father Desmond Thorpe in grubby flats and occasionally in tents. She became associated with street drinkers in the town and was said to have led a chaotic lifestyle since she was 12, a point made by her defence at trial. One of the drinkers she befriended was Paul Clarke, who was 41 at the time of the murders; Clarke had a reputation in that community as aggressive, bullying, overbearing and violent and was a drug addict. Clarke had previously been in a relationship with Rosalyn Hunt, who was also known to Thorpe through the same drinking community.

Trial, sentencing and parole history

Thorpe and Clarke were tried at Ipswich Crown Court in a seven-week trial in August 2010. Both were convicted of the murders in 2010 and given life sentences a year after the offences. Thorpe was told she would serve at least 14 years. Clarke received a 27-year sentence but died while carrying it out.

Thorpe has remained in prison since her conviction and has been denied parole on more than one occasion. She was denied parole twice earlier in her sentence and was refused parole in 2023 when the panel judged her too dangerous to be released or moved to an open prison. The most recent decision allows for transfer to an open facility for testing under less restrictive conditions but confirms that release is not currently appropriate.

Voices from the case and enduring questions

Observers who followed the case have emphasised the interplay of upbringing and criminal association in Thorpe’s trajectory. A commentator who covered the case noted she could be cunning and manipulative given her background, while also saying that those circumstances did not excuse her actions and that she probably had limited chances in life. Defence counsel at trial highlighted her early association with street drinkers and a chaotic lifestyle from around age 12. The case continues to raise difficult questions about vulnerability, violent association and how custodial systems gauge progress toward release.

The decision to test Thorpe in less restrictive conditions marks a procedural step rather than a move toward immediate release; she remains under a life sentence with a minimum tariff that was set at the original sentencing. Recent updates indicate the process may evolve as she is assessed in an open setting.