New date set for public parole hearing of Russell Causley

The next review to consider whether Causley, who murdered his wife Carole Packman and never revealed the whereabouts of her body, could be released from prison was due to take place on Thursday, October 6.

It was ultimately postponed just a day before after “compelling evidence” emerged of a “long campaign” to undermine the process which put the prisoner’s safety at risk, according to the Parole Board.

The new date will be Monday, December 12, with proceedings set to begin at 10.30am.

It is set to be the first hearing of its kind to not be held behind closed doors after changes in the law and lobbying from the daughter of Causley and Packman, Samantha Gillingham with her son Neil.

Russell Causley and Carole Packman (Image: Gillingham family)

Ms Gillingham called the decision “momentous”, while her son Neil previously told the Echo: “This will be our eighth parole hearing, so far Causley has made five confessions of what he did to his wife. It’s about time the public sees for themselves what we are dealing with.”

Causley was handed a life sentence for killing Carole Packman who disappeared in 1985 – a year after he moved his lover into their home in Bournemouth.

He was first convicted of her murder in 1996 but this was quashed by the Court of Appeal in June 2003. He then faced a second trial for murder and was again found guilty.

He was freed from prison in 2020, after serving more than 23 years for the murder, but was returned to jail in November last year after breaching his licence conditions.

Causley currently is imprisoned at HM Prison Lewes.