A wife has won her three year battle after her husband was beaten to death.
Helen Hill, 47, campaigned tirelessly for criminals to be more closely monitored when they are release from jail.
It came after the death of her beloved partner David Irwin who was just 30-years-old when he was murdered by Stuart Pickett, in Hale Village, after an event at a pub in 2002.
Mr Irwin died later in hospital from his injuries before former paratrooper Pickett was sentenced to life in prison for the vicious killing.
He served just 10 years of his sentence before being released for “good behaviour”.
The killer then had the right to apply for probation supervision to end only four years later.
Now after Helen’s three-year campaign ministers have decided that all freed lifers will be supervised for at least 10 years, with a monthly probation check-in for the first five.
Describing how she felt when she was informed by the Ministry of Justice, Helen told the Mirror : “I was over the moon – physically shaking when I got the news.
"To know that they will now be supervised for a full 10 years is so reassuring and will put a lot of minds at rest.”
Pickett, then 22, attacked David, 30, after a sportsman’s dinner at a pub in 2002.
David died in hospital.
Justice Secretary Robert Buckland is expected to announce the changes this week as part of an overhaul.
With the support of Labour MP Derek Twigg, Helen started a petition calling for stricter supervision of released lifers.
Last March they met with Ministry of Justice officials to demand change.
And justice ministers have now got in touch to confirm tougher rules will be brought in later this month.
Helen’s MP Twigg said: “I am grateful that ministers listened to us - victims of crime deserve to be listened to and their views taken into account by policy makers.”
Helen was forced to lie to hide the news from their five year old daughter, Mollie.
Pickett was jailed for life for a minimum of 10 years over the murder in Hale Village, Merseyside.
When he was released in 2013 Helen was told he would be monitored by the Probation Service.
But four years later she learned Pickett was applying for his life licence supervision order to be lifted.
The current government rules say such orders can be cancelled “after a minimum of four years of trouble-free existence in the community”.
Helen, who still lives in Hale Village, said: “Like many people I assumed that convicted killers had lifelong supervision... They don’t.
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“I couldn’t believe that after just four years he could ask to have the supervision order lifted.
“Apparently it’s common practice for that to be granted.”
Pickett has so far made two applications to have his order lifted and both have been refused.
Helen, who has remarried since her husband’s murder, added: “My husband’s killer has been out for seven years but it’s reassuring to know that he will be fully supervised for another three.”
The new rules will apply to every offender serving a life sentence.
