A man who murdered a mother-of-three and hid her body, which was never recovered, has been approved for release from prison. Stephen Wynne, a former soldier, killed 27-year-old Chantel Taylor by striking her in the neck with a meat cleaver at his flat in Birkenhead on March 13, 2004.
Wynne was only caught after he attempted to set fire to a mosque in Birkenhead in revenge for the July 7, 2005, London bombings. Police found handwritten notes referring to a woman's death and linked him to Chantel's murder. He later admitted dismembering her body and hiding it in his loft before moving the remains days later.
Despite taking police to Royden Park in Greasby and other locations, Chantel's body was never found. Her family held a funeral with only traces of her DNA from the murder scene. Wynne was initially sentenced to 21 years, reduced to 18 years on appeal.
The Parole Board recommended his move to open prison in 2022, and after a hearing, he has now been approved for release. The panel noted his behaviour was 'overwhelmingly positive' and his remorse 'genuine'. All professional witnesses supported his release, citing low risk of violence and extremism.
Chantel's mother, Jean Taylor, has campaigned to keep Wynne behind bars, saying he broke her family and left three children without their mother. The Parole Board stated its decision focused on whether the risk to the public was manageable, and it was satisfied that imprisonment was no longer necessary.
Wynne will be subject to licence conditions including residing at a designated address, electronic tagging, drug testing, and reporting to supervision.
