A 69-year-old serial killer could be released from prison later this year after spending several decades behind bars.
Given the nickname 'The Devil's Disciple', Patrick Mackay was was convicted in 1975 for the murders of priest Anthony Crean along with pensioners Isabella Griffiths and Adele Price.
Two other cases regarding Mackay were left open and police evidence later found proof that he had committed a one of the killings.
He confessed to a total of 13 murders across London and the southeast of England in the early 1970s, though retracted his confession in several cases.
Sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum sentence of 20 years in prison, Mackay has repeatedly been denied parole on the basis that he is too dangerous to be let out.
Having spent so many years behind bars, he is now Britain's longest serving prisoner since the death of Moors murderer Ian Brady in 2017.
Now, however, that could change as according to the Daily Mirror he has been granted a parole hearing which could take place as early as September.
If his hearing is successful then the serial killer could be freed from prison before the year is out.
The Mirror reports that he is now seen as a 'model prisoner' who 'really believes he finally has a chance to be released'.
The serial killer was connected to several other killings including the murder of Ivy Davies, though was not convicted of them after retracting his confessions, and her son has said it would be 'terrible' if Mackay was freed.
He said: "Mackay was convicted of three murders, but everyone knows he did more. He hasn’t shown any remorse. But there’s not a lot I can do about it.
"They won’t let me give a statement to the Parole Board as he was never convicted of Mum’s murder."
"What’s he going to do? Where’s he going to live? He knows nothing about the outside world. He’ll live alone, taking benefits and keeping his secrets to himself."
When he was 15 years old Mackay was diagnosed as a psychopath and committed to Moss Side Hospital for several years, his murders began shortly after he was released in 1972.
If Mackay is released from prison then Robert Maudsley, nicknamed 'the brain eater' and 'Hannibal the cannibal', will become Britain's new longest serving prisoner.
However, he was first sent to Broadmoor Hospital where he was detained until in 1977 he was convicted of manslaughter against another resident and sent to prison.
He is the earliest person in the UK to receive a whole life order that is still living.
Joe Harker