Britain’s longest-serving female prisoner has been sent back to jail only weeks after being released.
Maria Pearson, 70, who was branded an “evil psychopath,” walked free in July after spending nearly four decades in prison for the 1986 fatal stabbing of her love rival, Janet Newton.
Her release was approved by the Parole Board at the tenth time of asking, following nine failed attempts to secure freedom — even though there had been warnings she could still present a “high risk” of causing “serious harm”.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, relatives of Ms Newton said they “dreaded” what might happen next and insisted they believed Pearson was still “dangerous”.
It has now emerged that Pearson has been recalled to prison, apparently after breaching a condition of her licence.
In response, Ms Newton’s sister Lynn said it was the ‘most positive update that myself and my family could have hoped for’.
Calling for ‘lessons to be learnt,’ she added that she now hopes Pearson will spend the rest of her life behind bars.
‘I don’t believe she should have been released after the prison psychologist recommended an open prison first as she was highly likely to reoffend,’ the 59-year-old told Teesside Live.
Maria Pearson (pictured), now 70, who stabbed her ex-boyfriend’s new partner to death,has been recalled to prison just weeks after spending nearly 40 years behind bars
Building society worker Janet Newton (pictured) was murdered by Pearson in 1986
‘The Parole Board need to take accountability that they dismissed recommendations and made the wrong decision.
‘A lesson needs to be learned.
‘I hope with all my heart that she stops in prison until the day she dies, there is no place in society for her, she has proven that by being recalled only two weeks after release.’
Pearson, from Hartlepool, married welder Malcolm Pearson bigamously in 1986 – days after the birth of their daughter.
Their ‘doomed’ relationship was ‘intense and stormy’ and their baby was taken into care after a serious incident at their home.
After the couple split, the welder began a relationship with building society worker Ms Newton – leaving Pearson consumed with jealousy.
She stalked her rival and sent hate letters to her mother.
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Finally on October 19, 1986, two days after her ex became engaged to Ms Newton, she plunged a knife 17 times into her chest after confronting her in the street.
The knife penetrated 23-year-old Ms Newton’s heart and she was left lying in a pool of blood, Teesside Crown Court later heard.
Pearson’s ‘doomed’ relationship with Malcolm Pearson (pictured) was ‘intense and stormy’ and their baby was taken into care after a serious incident at their home
Aged 31, Pearson was found guilty of murder in 1987 and ordered to serve a minimum 12 years of a life sentence before being considered for parole.
However her requests to be released were repeatedly turned down, leading to campaigners labelling her the UK’s ‘forgotten inmate’.
In 2006, then Home Secretary John Reid rejected a Parole Board recommendation for Pearson to be moved to an open prison and prepared for release.
She was later twice moved to an open prison before being returned to higher-security jails amid concerns over her behaviour.
Finally in June 2026, the Parole Board approved her release on licence – despite offender managers assessing that she ‘posed a high risk of causing serious harm’.
It said the ‘finely balanced decision’ was made on the basis that once Pearson is freed, she would have to abide ‘strictly’ by conditions including being tracked by GPS for 12 months and follow a curfew.
The decision comes after she has served almost 39 years – longer than notorious Moors Murderer Myra Hindley, who had been locked up for 36 years when she died in November 2002.
In response, Ms Newton’s sister told the Daily Mail she ‘dreaded’ to think what would happen now Pearson was free.
‘I just hope another family doesn’t have to go through what we have gone through,’ she added.
‘I don’t think she will be able to cope in the outside world.’
Following Pearson’s recall to prison, a spokesman for the Prison and Probation Service told Teesside Live: ‘Prisoners released on licence are kept under tight supervision.
‘As this case shows, we do not hesitate to put them straight back behind bars if they break the rules.’
The Ministry of Justice was approached for comment.
It is understood that a recall review will now be referred back to the Parole Board to decide if Pearson must stay locked up.