THE mother of a pregnant woman strangled by Bury "House of Horror" pervert Geoffrey Hardin was due to have a showdown with probation workers yesterday.

Mrs Eileen Cain is livid she was never informed that her daughter's killer had been released from prison in 1997.

"The probation service did not do its job. I could have easily come face to face with Hardin on the street," said Mrs Cain, who lives in Heywood.

Yesterday's meeting was supposed the "clear the air" but, speaking beforehand, Mrs Cain remained convinced that more could have been done to contact her.

However, Greater Manchester Probation Service spokesman, Susan Wildman, said: "We did make full and proper enquiries to try and trace her with the help of the police and Victim Support, but she had remarried and changed her name. It is unfortunate because we do take our duties extremely seriously and make every effort."

She added: "If Hardin is released in the future she will automatically be contacted, but we would urge her to remain in contact with us too."

Mrs Cain said she was still living in the Heywood area at the time of Hardin's release and that it would only have taken a few phone calls to track her down. "I know for a fact that they didn't get in contact with my ex-husband either," she said.

Her daughter, Tracey Holden, was murdered in November 1985, and Mrs Cain is also highly critical of Rochdale CID.

"Tracey was living with Hardin but she managed to break free. She told me about how he had torched her flat and about his other criminal activities. I contacted the police. They came to speak to Tracey but she was reluctant to make a statement because she was frightened that Hardin would get her.

"The CID persuaded her to make the statement by assuring her that once arrested he would not be released on bail.

"Tracey went along with it but Hardin was granted bail and what she feared came true. He killed her."

Mrs Cain has written to Home Secretary Jack Straw and is awaiting a reply.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: "If Mrs Cain wishes to make an official complaint to us then the matter will be fully investigated."

Hardin was sent to prison for ten years earlier this month after being found guilty of indecently assaulting, abusing and torturing his 19-year-old male lodger. He kept him locked in an airing cupboard at his flat in Walmersley Road for 14 weeks between January and April this year.

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