COLIN PITCHFORK shocked the nation with his heinous crimes in the 1980s and has been branded a "monster" by his ex-wife.
The evil killer was married to Carole Pitchfork when he raped and strangled two 15-year-old girls, leading to him being sentenced sentenced to life behind bars, though in 2023 he was given the green light to be freed from jail.
Who is Carole Pitchfork?
Carole was a social worker who met Colin when he was a volunteer at a Barnardo's children's home.
The former couple were engaged when, aged 21, Colin was convicted of exposing himself to girls.
That was his second offence, as he had already been sentenced in a juvenile court for flashing teenage girls when he was a young teen.
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Carole and Colin married in 1981 and just two years later he committed his first murder, the killing of Lynda Mann.
The former spouses, who welcomed two sons during their marriage, have since divorced.
What has Carole Pitchfork said about Colin Pitchfork?
Carole has spoken out about her former husband, the first murderer to be convicted using DNA evidence, and his "horrendous crimes".
In 2021, ahead of Colin's first release from prison, Carole told The Sun Online: "My close friends and people who I work with, who need to know, are aware we were married."
The Parole Board had deemed at the time that Colin was no longer a danger to the public and he was released in July 2021.
Just two months later he was back in jail after breaching the licence conditions of his release.
It was later revealed that he had "sidled up" to young women while out on long walks and had been arrested over "concerning behaviours" after being freed.
In June 2023 Colin was once again ruled safe for release - less than two years after he was thrown back in jail.
MPs and the families of the victims hit out at the "diabolical" decision and called for the Justice Secretary to step in to block it.
Ahead of his first release, Carole said the killings of Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth had had "a massive impact on [her] life."
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Carole added: "I don't have any contact with [Colin], the only contact I had was through the courts when I was getting a divorce.
“I am trying to get on with my life as best as I can.”
Who are Carole and Colin Pitchfork's sons?
Not much is known about Carole and Colin's children, other than the fact that the former couple had two sons together.
In her 2021 interview with The Sun Online, Carole said her grown-up boys would never speak about their dad and had turned down requests for interviews.
Back in 1983, Colin chillingly left one baby son sleeping in the back of his car while he raped and murdered Lynda Mann in Narborough.
After sexually assaulting and strangling the schoolgirl, the killer drove home and put his baby to bed.
