Following the news that serial Killer Levi Bellfield is engaged, his fiancée has spoken out to say her lover has ‘changed’ since being in prison.
Bellfield has applied to get married to his bride-to-be at HMP Frankland in County Durham, where he’s currently serving two whole-life sentences.
The 53-year-old was given his first life term for murdering Marsha McDonnell, 19, in 2003, and Amelie Delagrange, 22, and attempting to murder Kate Sheedy, 18, in 2004.
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He was already serving this sentence when he went on trial for the high-profile killing of schoolgirl Milly Dowler, 13, who he snatched from the street walking from school to her home in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, in March 2002.
Despite his horrific crimes, Bellfield’s fiancée insists he’s ‘not a monster’ and has said she’s ‘not ashamed’ about the relationship after facing criticism from those involved in the case.
Speaking to The Mirror, the woman, who hasn’t been named, said: “He is not a monster. Yes he has a bad past, but 17 years in prison changes a person.
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“He has changed, he has remorse, and there are always reasons a person goes wrong in life.
“There is always a far bigger picture. He is 53 years old, still young and has to live knowing he will just grow old and die in that horrendous place.”
The outlet revealed that the pair have been together for three years, having first struck up a relationship after they started writing to each other in 2019.
What’s more, The Sun exclusively discovered that they were set up by fellow serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, aka the Yorkshire Ripper.
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According to their source, Sutcliffe – who is in prison for murdering 13 women and attempting to murder seven others between 1975 and 1980 – was friends with the woman when Bellfield asked for her contact details after seeing her photo.
Now, the couple are planning their prison nuptials, with a Ministry of Justice spokesman saying: "An application has been received and is being considered in the usual way."
However, the news has been slammed by numerous officials, including Justice Secretary Robert Buckland, who told The Sun that it 'beggars belief'.
He added: "Milly never got to see her wedding day. It cannot be right that he gets to have his."
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Meanwhile, Prisons Minister Victoria Atkins said she has ordered an immediate review into the request of Bellfield to get married in prison.
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She claims the news calls into question the workings of the Human Rights Act, saying Bellfield currently has a right under Article 12 to have his application for a wedding considered.
But she described the request as ‘absolutely appalling’, telling Sky News: "This man is an evil, evil monster who has left a trail of despair and grief in his wake.
"My heart goes out to the families because, yet again, this appalling human being is on the front pages (of newspapers) and they're having to think about him."
While she didn’t clarify whether she could actually stop the wedding going ahead, she did say: "I'm appalled that someone like this can make an application to get married – we're looking into it very carefully.
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"Watch this space please."
Featured Image Credit: Police Handout/AlamyTopics: True Crime, Crime, UK News