Justice Secretary blocks release of Essex Boys killer Michael Steele

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has intervened to block the release of Michael Steele, 82, a convicted triple killer who was set to be freed after nearly 29 years in prison. The Parole Board had determined he posed no risk to the public, but Mahmood's application for reconsideration has put his release on hold. Steele was convicted in 1998 for the murders of drug dealers Pat Tate, Tony Tucker, and Craig Rolfe, who were shot dead in a Range Rover during a drug deal dispute in 1995. Mahmood's application argues that the Parole Board's decision was 'legally irrational,' and if granted, Steele's case would require a fresh parole hearing. His accomplice, Jack Whomes, was released in 2021 but both men have consistently maintained their innocence. The reconsideration process was established following public outcry over previous controversial parole decisions.