High Court blocks release of Linda Razzell’s killer after Parole Board ruling overturned

The High Court has blocked the release of Glyn Razzell, the man convicted of murdering his estranged wife Linda Razzell in 2002. Judges overturned the Parole Board’s decision to free him on licence after ruling he had been "fundamentally dishonest" by refusing to reveal where he hid her body.

Razzell, 66, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2003 with a minimum term of almost 16 years. The Parole Board approved his release in April, but the Ministry of Justice challenged the decision. Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb ruled on Friday that Razzell’s continued silence about the body’s location demonstrated he remained a risk.

Family says refusal to disclose body location prolongs abuse

Linda Razzell’s daughter, Catherine, said the High Court’s decision brought "relief" but described her father’s refusal to disclose the body’s location as "cruel". She told reporters the family had been denied the chance to hold a funeral for her mother, who was killed in Wiltshire 22 years ago.

In a statement, Catherine Razzell said: "By choosing to withhold the only information that could provide us with some comfort and closure, he is clearly demonstrating he is still abusive." She added that Razzell was "actively choosing to be controlling and abusive from within prison", prioritising his own narrative over the family’s need for closure.

Catherine Razzell said the legal process had forced the family to relive their trauma. "As well as experiencing the most devastating loss of my mother, 24 years later we are still in court trying to keep the rest of our family safe from a man who is continuing to do our family harm," she said. She emphasised that the family did not want Razzell to die in prison but demanded he acknowledge his crime and disclose the body’s location.

What happens next

Glyn Razzell remains in prison following the High Court’s ruling. The Parole Board will now reconsider his case, but no timeline has been set for a new hearing. The Ministry of Justice has not indicated whether it will take further legal action.