Murderer fails in jail term plea

A "sadistic" attacker who raped and murdered a vulnerable Dudley pensioner after following her home has failed in a bid to reduce the minimum prison term he must serve before becoming eligible for parole.

George Browne was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of 71-year old Audrey Pearce.

She was killed at her Dudley Council warden-controlled flat at Connops Way, Lye, in February 1998.

The Home Secretary set a 20-year minimum tariff he must serve before becoming eligible for early release on licence.

High Court judge Mr Justice Irwin rejected a bid by Browne, now 39, to have the 20-year tariff lowered and told the killer the minimum term would have been set at 30 years if he was sentenced today.

The court heard that on the night of the murder Browne had had a good deal to drink and followed his victim out of a public house at 11.30pm. Mr Justice Irwin said she had been escorted home by a male companion.

He had advised her to have no contact with Browne, who had been pursuing her attempting to engage her in conversation.

The judge said: "However, the victim ignored that advice and admitted this defendant to her flat.

"He forced her on to a bed in the flat, raped her and throttled her as he was raping her."

Mr Justice Irwin said the mitigation of progress in prison was not sufficient to reduce the jail term.