In a controversial ruling, Britain's youngest female murderer, Sharon Carr, has been recommended for a transfer to an open prison, a significant step towards potential release. The decision by the Parole Board comes despite expert assessments that she continues to pose a serious danger to others.
A Shocking Childhood Crime
Sharon Carr was just 12 years old when she committed a murder of exceptional brutality. In June 1992, she stabbed 18-year-old Katie Rackliff more than 30 times as the trainee hairdresser walked home from Ragamuffins nightclub in Camberley, Surrey. Katie's body was discovered near a cemetery in Farnborough, Hampshire.
Carr was not caught for the crime until four years later, when police seized her diaries while she was in a young offenders' institution for a separate offence. The writings contained grotesque confessions, including: "I wish I could kill you again. I would make you suffer more. Your terrified screams turn me on." She also wrote of being "born to be a murderer".
A History of Violence Behind Bars
Now aged 45, Carr's behaviour during her incarceration has consistently demonstrated ongoing risk. Her violent conduct has included:
- Attempting to strangle two nurses while in an assessment centre awaiting trial.
- Attacking fellow prisoners and staff.
- Disclosing thoughts of wanting to murder another resident by "snapping her neck".
The sentencing judge, Mr Justice Scott Baker, described her as "an extremely dangerous young woman", a characterisation borne out by her prison record. She has been held in high-security facilities, including Broadmoor and Rampton hospitals, and was returned to HMP Bronzefield in 2015 after presenting a risk to patients and staff.
Parole Board Decision and Expert Concerns
This was Carr's fifth parole review since her minimum 12-year tariff expired in 2009. While the Parole Board refused her immediate release, it recommended a move to open conditions. However, this recommendation was made against the advice of a prison psychologist and the Justice Secretary's representative.
Experts argued that Carr required "a more challenging specialist regime in a closed prison". A summary of the ruling noted she continued to show evidence of active risk factors, including forming intense, sexualised attachments that could quickly turn violent when rebuffed.
Despite these concerns, the board noted Carr has now admitted the murder and has "shown insight" into her offending, having completed specialist work. The final decision on the transfer now rests with the Justice Secretary, David Lammy.
A Parole Board spokesperson stated the recommendation was just that—advice for the minister to consider. The family of Katie Rackliff, and the public, now await the outcome of a decision that balances rehabilitation against the protection of society from a individual with a profound and persistent history of violence.
