Victims' fury as rapist policeman, 50, is freed from prison less than seven years after he was jailed for life for attacking up to 30 women he met on duty.
• Stephen Mitchell was given two life sentences at Newcastle Crown Court in 2011
• The police officer and ex-soldier raped and sexually abused vulnerable women
• The 50-year-old has been released and was seen enjoying life on the outside
• His victims and campaigners are outraged over his release, saying it was wrong
Stephen Mitchell raped and sexually vulnerable women. He was jailed for life in 2011 but has since been released
A rapist policeman has been freed from prison less than seven years after he was jailed for life for attacking up to 30 vulnerable women he had met on duty.
Stephen Mitchell raped and sexually abused heroin addicts and a disabled teenager by offering them help while in custody, then demanding sexual favours afterwards.
The former soldier was handed two life sentences at Newcastle Crown Court in 2011 and was told he would not be eligible for parole for at least seven and a half years.
But the 50-year-old has since been released and was seen enjoying life on the outside, riding a £500 bike, according to a report by the Sunday People.
Mitchell's victims and campaigners are outraged over his release, saying it was wrong Mitchell, who was deemed a 'high risk to women' by psychiatrists, was freed.
One victim told the Sunday People: 'It's wrong that he can get on with his life, when he has ruined so many others.'
Another added: 'I certainly didn't expect him to get out so quickly.
'I have never, ever heard of anyone getting parole first time around for such a serious offence, given the fact he was so manipulative and never admitted anything.
'He deliberately chose victims who were vulnerable and wouldn't be believed if they ever dared speak up.'
She continued: 'I honestly think he has used everything he learned in the Army and the police to help him get parole by just telling them what he knew they would want to hear. He knows exactly what he's doing.
'He managed to get away with what he was doing, despite being in the police, so he is very cunning.'
Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper called for the Parole Board to review its decision.
She said: 'We urgently need to know what the Parole Board's reasons were because to most people this really does not look like justice for victims.
'The Justice Secretary needs to tell us urgently what progress he has made since his decision on John Worboys to stop the same things happening all over again.'
