Killer of Nuneaton schoolgirl Naomi Smith due to be moved to open prison...

He was convicted in January 1997 of murdering the 15-year-old



A killer who mutilated and murdered a 15-year-old Nuneaton schoolgirl could soon be moved to an open prison.

A parole board hearing has recommended that Edwin Hopkins should be moved from the ' category A' high risk prison he has been in since he was convicted of the murder of Naomi Smith in January 1997.

CoventryLive understands he is currently still in a high security prison but is due to move to an open prison unless the decision is called in by the Secretary of State.

Hopkins was ordered to serve a minimum of 18 years behind bars before he would be considered for parole. But that tariff ended in 2013.

It has been almost 26 years since Naomi's body was discovered in a playground near her family home in September 1995 after she gone to post a letter for her mum.

Hopkins, convicted at Birmingham Crown Court in 1997, has refused point blank to accept his guilt despite overwhelming DNA evidence.

Andy Freeman, one of Naomi's half brothers, previously told CoventryLive that the brutality of Naomi's murder should be a key factor into never allowing Hopkins to walk the streets as a free man.

A murderer responsible for the brutal killing of a Nuneaton schoolgirl will be moved to a open prison

CoventryLive can confirm that Edwin Hopkins, who mutilated Naomi Smith when she was just 15, is being moved out of his 'Category A' high risk prison.

Hopkins has been the high security prison, for those deemed to be a risk to the public, since he was sentenced to life in Birmingham in 1997.

He was jailed for a minimum of 18 years before he could be considered for parole. but that ended in 2013.

CoventryLive revealed a parole board hearing recommended that Hopkins should be moved from the 'category A' high risk prison he has been in since his jailing.

Now it has been confirmed by the Ministry of Justice that he will be moved.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “The independent Parole Board conducts a thorough risk assessment before recommending transfer to a category D prison.

"Public protection is our priority and offenders can be returned to closed conditions at the first sign of any concern.”