British Airways Killer challenges decision to block his release from prison

ITV's The British Airways Killer has captivated audiences, telling viewers the real and gruesome story of a British Airways pilot who killed his wife while their children hid in fear.

It comes as the man behind the crime is fighting to be released from prison.

The documentary - which is a two-parter - aired on Monday night (26 February), focuses on disgraced BA captain Robert Brown.

Watch the trailer for the show below:

Brown, butchered his millionaire wife, 46-year-old Joanna Simpson, in 2010.

He used a claw hammer to attack her in their Ascot family home on Halloween night. Their two kids hid from the attack in the property's playroom.

Joanna had been a victim of Brown's domestic abuse for years. He dumped her body in a box lined with plastic sheeting that he left in a Windsor park.

Brown returned home where he deleted CCTV documenting his part on the heinous crime.

PA/Police Handout

Part one of the ITV documentary looked at the disappearance of Joanna, with Brown refusing to help police officers after eventually handing himself in.

Viewers of the first episode were shaken by the show.

One X user (formerly Twitter) said: "Been watching The British Airways Killer and just… ugh.

"Utterly revolting, arrogant b*****d. To kill his children’s mother while they were listening in the next room?! Grotesque. May he rot."

Another posted: "This is making my blood absolutely boil."

With part two of the documentary to air later this week, away from our TV screens Brown is looking to be released from prison.

He was convicted for manslaughter back in 2011 on grounds of diminished responsibility. Brown had been cleared of murder after trial.

ITV

He got 24 years for killing Joanna and a further two for obstructing a coroner.

Last year in November, having served half of his sentence, Brown had been up for an automatic release on license.

But the Government blocked the move, with the UK justice secretary Alex Chalk deciding he was to remain behind bars.

Chalk referred the incident to the Parole Board where it will now be reviewed.

Joanna's mother, Diana Parkes, said: “I am delighted that Alex Chalk, the lord chancellor, has blocked Robert Brown’s automatic release and is referring the decision to the Parole Board. Having to continuously relive my daughter’s brutal killing is emotionally exhausting.

“We hope that the Parole Board will appreciate how dangerous Robert Brown is and we fear for the safety of our family, Jo’s friends and any female he may form a relationship with in the future. We would urge them to keep him in jail.”

PA

Brown and his legal team are now fighting to release him from custody, arguing the referral to the Parole Board was an 'obvious attempt to seek to reverse engineer justification for a decision that was in reality prompted and obtained through conscious or unconscious political bias'.

Brown had been 'subjected to a high-profile campaign through the media and with politicians that has sought to block his release', they argued.

Brown's legal team took the issue to the High Court earlier this month, with a decision expected at a later date.

Part two of The British Airways Killer airs on ITV1 on Thursday, 29 February at 9pm.