ONE of Britain’s most prolific paedophiles who recruited Vanessa George into abusing dozens of babies and toddlers could be free in weeks.
Colin Blanchard, 52, will have a Parole Board hearing on July 4 having been jailed in 2011.
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It means he could be back on the streets within weeks, the Mirror reported. He was told he would serve a minimum of nine years of his indeterminate sentence.
He has been held at Category C HMP Wymott, near Leyland, Lancashire.
Blanchard was a child abuse ringleader who recruited George, who abused 64 babies and tots in her care over several years.
She was named Britain’s worst female paedo in 2009 after she was jailed for taking sick pictures of herself harming babies and toddlers.
The Parole Board said: “We can confirm the parole review of Colin Blanchard has been referred to the Parole Board by the Secretary of State for Justice and is following standard processes.
“A hearing is expected to take place in early July.
“Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.
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“A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims.
“Members read and digest hundreds of pages of evidence and reports in the lead up to an oral hearing.
“Evidence from witnesses including probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists, officials supervising the offender in prison as well as victim personal statements are then given at the hearing.
“The prisoner and witnesses are then questioned at length during the hearing which often lasts a full day or more. Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care.
“Protecting the public is our number one priority.”
Blanchard’s was described as “the hub of the paedophile wheel” at his sentencing.
He was considered for release along with co-conspirator Angela Allen in 2019 despite a judge warning in 2011 that he may never be freed from jail.
His case was referred to the Parole Board by the Ministry of Justice but experts judged him not ready for release without a hearing.
He was required to complete another course in jail designed to prevent him re-offending and be reviewed by a psychologist.
After he had completed his nine-year minimum sentence, the Ministry of Justice referred his case to be considered for release.
VANESSA GEORGE
Special needs coordinator George took the images for Blanchard on her phone at a nursery in Plymouth.
She was jailed in 2009 for a minimum of seven years.
The evil nursery worker is back on the streets after serving just ten years.
Her release in September 2019 sparked fury after it emerged she was given a cushy flat in the Midlands at the expense of the taxpayer.
She was freed from HMP Send in Surrey after a parole board ruled she had “shown remorse” and could be managed safely in the community.
She is subject to some of the toughest licence conditions ever imposed on any con on their release, including being banned from Devon and Cornwall.
She cannot go within 30 metres of any swimming pool and is barred from going near children’s playgrounds, nurseries and schools.
Officials can also order her to undergo a random lie detector test at any point to safeguard youngsters.
Her trial heard she sent pictures to Blanchard after meeting him on Facebook.
When arrested, the fiend cruelly refused to tell police the names of all of her victims – leading to a decade of “hell” for families who still aren’t sure whether their child was abused.
Child protection officers visited 180 children thought to have had contact with George, who admitted taking up to eight pictures a day while on duty.
Mum-of-two George, whose two daughters have publicly disowned her, described herself to creep lover Blanchard as a “paedo wh*re mum” in vile exchanges between the two.
She also called him “baby” and described them as the “perfect paedo couple” as she “plumbed new depths of depravity”.
‘HUB OF THE PAEDOPHILE WHEEL’
IT expert Blanchard, of Rochdale, said to be the “hub of the paedophile wheel”, was later jailed for a minimum of nine years.
Tracey Lyons, who was jailed in 2011 for sending sickening child abuse pictures to Blanchard, has now been released from prison.
Tracy Dawber, who was in a year-long relationship with the paedo ringleader, was caged for four years for abusing a two-year-old boy and letting Blanchard film it.
Blanchard also traded the photos with prostitute Angela Allen, of Nottingham, who was jailed for at least five years.
The Parole Board ruled that she could be released in 2019.
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