'Lifer' Silcott set for release

Convicted murderer Winston Silcott has been transferred to an open prison in readiness for his possible release, Prison Service sources said today.

Silcott, 42, was convicted of murdering Pc Keith Blakelock during the Broadwater Farm riots in Tottenham in 1985 but was cleared by the Court of Appeal six years later.

But Silcott remains in custody serving a life sentence after his conviction for the fatal stabbing of boxer Anthony Smith at a party in 1984.

He will have served 17 years this month, three years over the minimum he was told he must serve before becoming eligible for parole.

The Parole Board recommended in January that he be transferred to an open prison and Home Secretary David Blunkett accepted the recommendation, Silcott's legal team said.

Silcott's brother George said: "We look forward to having him home, although we are very concerned about how long it is taking. He has never caused any problems in prison and it's difficult to understand how it could have taken David Blunkett six months to approve the Parole Board's recommendation."

Silcott's solicitor Tony Murphy said the move to an open prison was "the least Winston deserves" and added: "He has been described as a model prisoner since his last review in 1999 and should have been transferred to an open prison then."

Although 14 witnesses named him as the leader of the mob which hacked Pc Blakelock to death - the policeman suffered 42 machete wounds in the attack - Silcott was later cleared of his conviction.

He received £17,000 from the Home Office for wrongful conviction and £50,000 in damages for malicious prosecution from the Metropolitan Police.

Silcott was allowed out of Stocken jail in Leicestershire in November last year on a "familiarisation visit" to see how he coped with outside life.