The family of a teenager who was stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend claim they are being silenced by the parole board after her killer’s latest bid for freedom.
John Wilson, now 38, was given a life sentence after he ambushed 17-year-old Michelle Stewart and knifed her 10 times with a 10 -inch blade in front of her terrified friends in Ayrshire in 2008.
The fiend was released from prison in January 2025 after 16 years behind bars, despite warnings from Michelle’s family that he would reoffend.
And within less than a year, he was locked up again earlier for breaching his licence conditions.
His latest parole hearing, which was heard last Friday, saw his most recent freedom bid rejected.
But Michelle’s sister Lisa who attended the hearing, said she ordered to sign a confidentiality agreement stating she will not speak about the reasons why Wilson was recalled to jail last year.
View 5 ImagesMurderer John Wilson’s latest bid for freedom has been rejected. (Image: Supplied)
The grieving sibling said she has been left shaken by the information she heard about Wilson and that the gagging order only serves to protect him.
Speaking to the Record, the 47-year-old said: “My blood ran cold when I heard about what this monster did before he was sent back to jail earlier this year.
“I should be allowed to speak out about that so that people aware of exactly what he is capable off when he gets out in the future but the parole board are silencing me
“When someone commits a crime all the details are normally heard in court, so why is it different with parole hearings?
“This man took away Michelle’s voice and now her family are being stopped from speaking out.
“I’ve always believed that Wilson still poses as a danger, but after what I heard at the hearing I know more than ever that this is true.
“Secrecy around that will put members of the public at risk.”
Michelle was just minutes away from her home in Drongan when Wilson set upon her.
View 5 ImagesMichelle Stewart was just 17-years-old when John Wilson stabbed her to death
He had been stalking the schoolgirl since they broke-up and took two buses from Prestwick before attacking Michelle while she was out at with her pals. .
He went on the run and was caught hours later. He pleaded guilty to the murder in March 2009 and was sentenced to serve 12 years minimum jail time, discounted from 16 years due to his guilty plea.
He was freed last year after his fifth parole hearing despite a 2023 review showing he hadn’t undertaken domestic violence work in 14 years behind bars.
Speaking at the time, Lisa warned: “They’re saying he’s had no rehabilitation work so he’s still in the mind frame that he was in when he did that to Michelle.
“When she dumped him three weeks prior, wouldn’t answer his calls and changed her number repeatedly, he wouldn’t let that go.
“What if he starts a relationship? What if they have an argument or she rejects him or she does something he doesn’t like?
“Somebody else could lose their life.”
Lisa also said her family shouldn’t have to keep going through a painful parloe process every year and is demanding a proper rehabilitation programme is put in place for Wilson before he is considered for release again.
She added: “We were told on Friday his parole will be reviewed again in July of 2027, but for us it starts way before that.
“We will have a few months of respite now and then have to meet with parole officers again in January or February to prepare for his next hearing.
View 5 ImagesLisa Stewart says she has been silenced by the parole board. (Image: Ayrshire Post)
“I’ll write another victim impact statement and then will have it hanging over me for months.
“It just feels like a never ending cycle our family is being put through.
“He clearly hasn’t been rehabilitated so that is something that they have to try and do now.
“Wilson should be put on a proper programme lasting a few years before they even consider releasing him again.”
Since 2019, the Stewart family have campaigned to see Michelle’s Law introduced, which would see changes to the justice system, including the setting up of ‘exclusion zones’ upon an offender’s release.
This was prompted by Wilson being spotted in and around the area Michelle’s family live in numerous times while on supervised leave since 2018.
Speaking of her anguish at the sightings, Lisa previously said: “For John Wilson to be back in the local community is not only a kick in the face to us, but it speaks volumes about the current status of victims in the eyes of the SNP government.”
A spokesperson for the Parole Board for Scotland told the Record they do not comment on individual cases and are “committed to operating as openly and transparently as possible within the constraints of the statutory Parole Board (Scotland) Rules 2022.”
View 5 ImagesJohn Wilson was 20 when he murdered the teen. (Image: PA)
They added: “The Rules require that any information about any application, document, or any other information provided to the Board or to a panel, or the name of any person involved in the proceedings must not be disclosed either directly or indirectly to any person not involved in the proceedings to which the information relates or to the public.
“It is for this reason that anyone attending a parole hearing to observe the proceedings is required to sign a confidentiality agreement.”
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