Teacher killer stalls parole bid

Pushing for parole too early could hurt Chindamo's chances of release

The killer of headteacher Philip Lawrence will remain in prison for several more months despite being eligible for release.

Learco Chindamo, 27, was jailed for life in October 1996 for the stabbing outside a north-west London school, but his 12-year minimum term has expired.

He will not make a bid for early release until December in the hope of ensuring his application is successful.

His legal team has advised that it is safer to wait a few more months.

According to Parole Board guidelines, rejected applications for life prisoners should only be reconsidered after a two-year gap.

Legal strategy

The Evening Standard newspaper reported that neither the Parole Board nor Chindamo's solicitor Nigel Leskin would comment on the release strategy.

Chindamo, whose mother is Filipino and father Italian, punched and stabbed father-of-four Mr Lawrence, who was trying to protect a pupil.

The attack took place outside St George's Roman Catholic School in Maida Vale, west London, in December 1995.

Last year a row broke out after the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal granted Chindamo permission to remain in Britain.

A Home Office minister instructed officials to apply for a last-ditch legal review as part of a government strategy to deport foreign criminals.

But the decision was upheld by a senior High Court judge who ruled it would be "disproportionate" to remove the EU citizen.

Although born in Italy, Chindamo has lived in the UK since the age of six. He attacked Mr Lawrence when he was 15.