Parole board makes decision over Telford triple murder monster who groomed one of his victims
The parole board has rejected an application from a Telford triple murderer who groomed one of his victims.
Azhar Ali Mehmood, then 26, killed 16-year-old CSE victim Lucy Lowe who was the mother of his child, as well as her 17-year-old sister, and mother Eileen Linda Lowe, 49.
The taxi driver used petrol to set fire to their home in Telford in August 2000, and was jailed for life the following year.
It has now been confirmed the latest bid for freedom from Mehmood was turned down, with the parole board also rejecting a move to an open prison.
The review took place earlier this month.
Mehmood received four mandatory life sentences following conviction for three offences of murder and an offence of attempted murder.
The sentencing court determined that he must serve a minimum of 18 years in custody before his release could be considered by the parole board.
The parole board's summary of the decision says that Mehmood still denies responsibility for the offences.
It states: "Mr Mehmood has continued to deny responsibility for the offences, maintaining that he disagreed with the jury’s verdict and that he did not know who had committed the offences."
Confirming that Mehmood will remain in prison, the report states: "After considering the circumstances of his offending, the progress made while in custody and the evidence presented in the dossier, the panel was not satisfied that release at this point would be safe for the protection of the public.
"Nor did the panel recommend to the Secretary of State that Mr Mehmood should be transferred to an open prison."
It added that he will be eligible for another parole review "in due course".
The panel was given a victim impact statement detailing the effect of Mehmood's heinous crimes.
It said that the contents were given careful consideration in coming to the decision, along with concerns over licence conditions if he was allowed to return to the community.
Lucy Lowe had been targeted and groomed by Mehmood at 12 years old.
She was pregnant for a second time by him when she died in the blaze.
Mehmood was jailed for murdering his three victims by pouring petrol inside the Leegomery house and setting it alight, but he was not prosecuted for sex crimes.
Miss Lowe's daughter, who survived having been found wrapped in blankets after the fire, has previously criticised the justice system for not prosecuting her father for child sex offences.
The inquiry into child sex abuse in Telford, which referenced the case, found crimes were ignored for generations, leading to more than 1,000 girls being abused.
The inquiry heard from witnesses who recounted that Lucy's murder would often be used by perpetrators of child sexual exploitation to frighten victims.