‘I fear the day he is released’: Northampton murderer who killed wife, children and dogs in 2000 up for parole again

A heinous Northampton murderer who killed his wife, two children and two dogs is up for parole again next month after he was denied release and a request to move to an open prison in 2021.

Philip Austin stabbed and strangled his wife Claire Austin, who was 31 at the time, and strangled his two children, Keiren, eight, and Jade, seven, on July 10, 2000, before fleeing the area.

The family, and their two dogs who Austin also killed, were found in their Standens Barn home a week later by Claire’s mum and stepdad.

Austin, who was a fork-lift driver at the time, pleaded guilty to the horrific murders and was sentenced to 20 years in prison at a court hearing in 2001.

Two decades later, Austin was up for parole for the first time and the Parole Board heard his case in April 2021 where the board recommended he could be moved to an open prison, where he would be given more freedoms and be subject to less supervision. However following the recommendation, the Secretary of State at the time, made the decision that Austin would not be allowed to move to an open prison.

The now 53-year-old has remained in a high category prison since and is now up for parole again, with his case set to be heard on February 27, 2023.

Talking to Chronicle & Echo ahead of the latest parole hearing, Carol Quinn, Claire’s mother and Kerien and Jade’s grandmother, said: “It’s an awful time and we are going to have to go through this every time he is up for parole until he is released.

“We get asked if we want to make another impact statement, but nothing has changed, my daughter and grandchildren are still dead.

“I would like to ask anyone who thinks he should be allowed his freedom now how they would feel if he came out of prison and he met their daughter or granddaughter and they lived together. How safe would you feel? I would not feel safe with him out.”

When Austin was first up for parole, Carol started a petition to make “life sentences mean life”. The petition is ongoing and has nearly 13,000 signatures, at time of writing. The online petition can be found here.

Carol added: “We shall fight as much as we can. I know he will be released one day and I really fear for that day.”

Carol and her husband plan to be in attendance at the parole hearing next month.

A Parole Board spokesman said: "An oral hearing has been listed for the parole review of Phillip Austin and is scheduled to take place in February 2023.

“Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.

“A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims.

“Members read and digest hundreds of pages of evidence and reports in the lead up to an oral hearing.

“Evidence from witnesses including probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists, officials supervising the offender in prison as well as victim personal statements are then given at the hearing.

“The prisoner and witnesses are then questioned at length during the hearing which often lasts a full day or more.

“Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority.”

The decision will be published by the Parole Board after the hearing. Reports are usually published around a month after the case is heard.

If a prisoner is denied parole, they will be put before the Parole Board again two years after their last hearing.