Family demands 'life means life' sentence for notorious Blackburn killer (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Family demands 'life means life' sentence for notorious Blackburn killer

12:00pm Saturday 25th August 2012 in News By Vanessa Cornall, Crime reporter

ONE of East Lancashire’s most notorious murderers must stay behind bars for the rest of his life — his victim’s family said.

High Court judges scrapped Anthony Entwistle’s 'life means life' sentence meaning he will be considered for parole this year having served almost 25 years.

In 1987 he committed one of Blackburn’s most shocking killings. He abducted 16-year-old Michelle Calvy from a canal towpath before raping and strangling her then dumping her body at a Tockholes beauty spot.

Now a campaign has been launched to make sure that he is never allowed to be released.

Entwistle, now 62, killed Michelle just weeks after he was released from a prison sentence for rape.

Her brother, Paul Calvy, said the whole family were angered that he was bidding to be released.

He and his brothers, Michael and Douglas, are backing a petition to the government calling for him never to be released.

Father-of-two Mr Calvy, 42, from Intack, said: “He took my sister away from us. My children would have had an auntie. She would have had a life.

“We are still so angry about what he did to Michelle and furious that he is trying to be released. There is no way he should even be considered for release.

“If that happens it will show that the system does not work.

“He should stay in prison where he belongs. Someone like him cannot change and the authorities certainly cannot take a chance with him.

“He proved the first time he was released that he is a danger to the public and I strongly believe he should remain behind bars.”

He said the family were keen for as many people as possible to sign the petition after they found out he was attempting to be released.

Mr Calvy said: “We still go to the cemetery once a month to put fresh flowers down.

“There’s a photo on the wall in my house of Michelle. She will not be forgotten.

“She was only 16 when she was killed 25 years ago but I still remember getting the phone call to tell me she had passed away.

“That pain does not go away.”

Cousin Anne Bevan, one of the last people to see Michelle alive, said: “There is no parole for the grief and loss of a young family member. That stays with us for life. Why should Anthony Entwistle be considered for parole. I would ask anyone with a family to sign the petition.”

The former Witton Park High School pupil was killed in April 1987.

Entwistle, who lived in Thwaites Road, Oswaldtwistle, had served two seperate prison sentences for rapes before he murdered Michelle, of Brookway, off Livesey Branch Road, Blackburn.

He killed her just weeks after being released from a seven-year jail term.

Entwistle was told by the original trial judge he would die in prison for the killing of Michelle when he was sentenced in 1988. At the time he was one of 35 murderers told they will never be released.

But three years ago a review by High Court judge Mr Justice Davis found that he should be eligible for consideration for parole after serving 25 years in prison, giving him a chance of freedom this year.

The judge ruled that a 25-year tariff was sufficient for the purposes of ‘retribution and deterrence’.

Mr Justice Davies said that it would be up to the Parole Board to decide that Entwistle did not pose a danger to the public, adding that he shared ‘concerns’ that it may never be safe to release the killer.

Blackburn MP and former Justice Secretary Jack Straw is set to meet Michelle’s family in the run up to the parole hearing.

He said: "I can well understand the anxiety of the family, but as the judge made clear, all this prisoner has a right to do is apply for parole.

"And the judge said words to the effect that his release, if ever, will only take place if he no longer poses a danger."

Mr Straw said he would have the chance to make representations to the parole board, including to argue against Entwistle's release, as would the victim's family.

He said: “There are quite a number of prisoners whose tariffs have expired but are not being released because they are still a danger.”

• THE petition to the government can be found at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/36769

The case that shocked Blackburn

MICHELLE Calvy’s murder shocked Blackburn in 1987 after she was snatched from a canal towpath near her home.

Her naked body was found at a ‘lovers lane’ beauty spot in Tockholes, sparking a major police hunt.

Young women were warned by detectives to beware as there were fears the killer could strike again.

Entwistle was arrested several days later by a police officer who spotted him cleaning his car outside his Thwaites Road, Oswaldtwistle home.

Footprints in the car’s footwell matched those left on Michelle’s body.

The brutal killing brought to an end a 14-year reign of terror carried out by Entwistle.

He had numerous convictions for rape and sexual assault.

He was first jailed in 1974 when he escaped a life sentence for four rapes. He served just four years.

In 1980 he was again in court and was branded an ‘appalling danger’ to women after raping a 27-year-old from Nelson and a 15-year-old as well as a 17-year-old babysitter.

He was then released in 1987 but 17 days later he struck again. This time snatching Michelle Calvy from near her home in Blackburn. He took her to a remote road in Tockholes before raping and strangling her.

He dumped her naked body in nearby woodland.

Det Supt Bill Hacker, who led the inquiry, warned at the time: “This killer could strike again. I do not want to spread panic and alarm but young girls should be aware that what happened to Michelle could happen again.”

Michelle had just finished her studies at Witton Park High School and was set to begin a job at a Blackburn town centre green-grocer on the day her body was discovered.

She was described as ‘little miss perfect’.

Before her killing Michelle had been staying with a friend in the Griffin area of Blackburn and left her aunt’s house in Tenby Close before walking along the canal towpath when Entwistle abducted her.

Speaking after Entwistle was jailed her mother Annette Dean said: “We used to see things like this on television but you always think it will never happen to you.”

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