Cannibal killer who bragged about eating his victim with pasta denied parole for ninth time
A killer who boasted of eating part of his victim with a plate of pasta has been denied parole for the ninth time.
David Harker, now 51, murdered 32-year-old mother-of-four Julie Paterson in Darlington 28 years ago and only partial remains have been found.
He is serving a life sentence after pleading guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility following Paterson’s death in 1998.
It was later revealed that Harker had told friends and psychiatrists that he had fried part of his hip and eaten it with macaroni and cheese.
He has been eligible for parole since 2013, and this month a ninth hearing was held to decide whether he should be released or sent to an open prison.
The Parole Board said it was still deemed unsafe to allow his release or transfer due to the ongoing need to protect the public.
Harker was 24 when he was convicted in 1999. Psychiatrists agreed that he had a serious psychopathic disorder when he killed Miss Paterson, meaning he was not guilty of murder.
The Parole Board said the law requires regular evaluation of Harker’s case.
A report into his recent behavior found that his behavior in custody had “significantly improved” and that there were no findings of discipline in the last 11 years.
Previous decisions were made using documents, but the latest, the ninth, was made using oral evidence. Harker did not attend or perform.
The panel considered a dossier containing 356 pages of reports, including submissions on behalf of the Secretary of State opposing the release.
Information was obtained from the person responsible for managing Harker in prison, two parole officers who would be responsible for managing him in the community, a psychologist, and someone who worked with him in a program in prison.
The person who worked with him on the program was not allowed to suggest a course of action, while others said Harker failed the test for release.
The following statements were included in the conclusion of the Parole Board’s decision summary: “The panel carefully analyzed all the evidence and produced its own independent risk assessment.
“He decided not to direct the release of David Harker or to recommend to the Secretary of State that David Harker be transferred on open terms.”
