“Selfish” killer Billy Dunlop felt “euphoric” after he murdered young mother Julie Hogg but is now "not interested in hurting anyone”, a parole board has heard.
William Dunlop brutally killed 22-year-old Julie in Billingham in 1989 before stuffing her body behind a bath panel - but now says he “cringes” at "how selfish and self centred” he was.
The now 63-year-old has insisted that, after spending almost three decades behind bars, he is a rehabilitated man and not the “violent, horrible person” he once was.
The former labourer, who today (October 21) made his bid for release at a fourth parole hearing in London, said he has “done a lot of reflecting” following the loss of his son last year.
It came after the pair “rekindled” their relationship after eight years of no contact.
He said the death of his son - who told his father how “proud” he was of him for “turning his life around” - left him "numb, drained, and in disbelief".
(Image: North News and Pictures)
Dunlop even said that he feels guilty over his son’s death and Julie’s death, which he now connects, adding: “I was thinking about my son not being here. [He and Julie] are joined now.
“If I hadn't done the heinous thing I did, Julie would be here as well."
A parole hearing, held at an undisclosed prison and live streamed to London, heard how Dunlop “didn’t think about the effect” he would have on Julie’s family when he murdered her.
"I saw Ann on the television holding Kevin when [Julie] was missing and I had to turn it over or turn the volume off. I just suppressed it,” he said.
"It was all about me. I didn't think about them and the effect I would have on them."
Anguish 'cannot be measured'
Dunlop is behind bars largely due to the tireless 17-year fight of Julie’s mother Ann, who, backed by The Northern Echo, overturned the 800-year-old double jeopardy law.
Ann Ming (Image: ANDY FUTERS)
He told the hearing of how he had previously thanked Ann for her campaign because he has "not hurt anybody else" due to being in prison.
Dunlop said he wanted Ann and her family to "just be able to get on with their life" but understands that they are "not going to feel that if I am released".
Despite the parole board recommending Dunlop be moved to an open prison at the last hearing, the decision was blocked by then-Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
When asked how he would respond if this were to happen again, Dunlop referred to the 1997 song Tubthumping, best known for its lyrics "I get knocked down, but I get up again".
"This is no façade. This is who I am now and I will just keep doing it," he said.
Dunlop, who was visible on the video link to London and was wearing a light blue shirt, said he does not believe he is still a risk to the public.
"There is a lot of evidence over a number of years that shows I have not gone back to that way of thinking," he said.
"I am just not interested in hurting anybody else. With the death of [my son], it has taken the fight out of me."
He argued that he was more frightened of the public rather than them being frightened of him being put back into the community.
Dunlop also said Julie's son Kevin Hogg, who read out his victim impact statement to the hearing before it began, was “very moving”.
Kevin, 40, said his family are the people “living the life sentence”, explaining: “Time isn’t the great healer it is reputed to be.
Kevin Hogg (Image: ANDY FUTERS)
“As the years pass, the pain of losing my mother to this murderer remains acute. "I have lost much to this crime and his evil actions. I have lost the ability to experience joy.
“I have lost the ability to maintain lasting relationships. The anguish he has caused, simply cannot be measured nor indeed put down on paper."
He heartbreakingly recalled having flashbacks from when his mother’s body was found and said he fears he will "constantly be on edge, wondering what he is doing" if Dunlop was freed.
‘Empathy’ towards victim’s family
The hearing heard how, if he was to be released, he would be subject to a string of conditions including a lie detector test, 12 months in a specialist hostel, tagging, and a curfew.
The hearing heard from both his prison offender manager (POM), a prison psychologist, and an independent psychologist, all of whom recommended him for release.
(Image: (c) NORTH NEWS & PICTURES)
The POM said she had seen “real change” in Dunlop, who has “shown constant behaviour for a considerable period of time”.
However, she admitted he has had a “difficult” grieving process after his son’s death and that there would be "quite a few things that would challenge him" should he be released.
She said his death had "deepened [Dunlop's] empathy for the victim's family".
A prison instructed psychologist also said he has shown empathy to others, despite being a psychopath, and said his release plan was “robust”.
Dunlop was tried twice for the murder of Julie but was acquitted, and the double jeopardy law meant he could not be tried twice for the same offence.
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He laughed at the law when he boasted to a prison officer that he had killed Julie while in jail for another offence, and was later done for perjury.
But Ann’s determination saw the law was abolished in 2005 - and Dunlop was finally jailed for life with a minimum term of 15 years in 2006.
The hearing continues tomorrow.