Parole Board Faces Criticism Over Private Testimony in Murder Case

Victim's family expresses frustration as convicted killer Steven Ling's parole hearing testimony is moved behind closed doors.

Steven Ling, convicted of a brutal murder in 1998, was expected to give public testimony at his parole hearing.
The decision to hold Ling's evidence in private has been labeled a 'farce' by the victim's mother, Doreen Soulsby.
Legal reforms in 2022 allowed some parole hearings to be public in an effort to increase transparency.
The Parole Board cited the need for Ling to provide his 'best evidence' as the reason for the private session.
Ling's prison offender manager testified that he meets the criteria for release but suggested a transition to open conditions first.