A man who viciously killed a mother of three using a meat cleaver and confessed to dismembering her body is set to be freed from prison. Stephen Wynne, a former soldier, murdered Chantel Taylor by striking her in the neck at his residence on Elmswood Road in Birkenhead in March 2004.
Wynne, who was 26 at the time of the crime, was apprehended when he attempted to set fire to a mosque in Birkenhead as an act of “revenge” for the 2005 London bombings. Handwritten notes found at his home referencing the woman’s death raised suspicion of his involvement in Chantel’s murder.
The killer later admitted to police that he dismembered Chantel’s body, initially hiding it in his loft before relocating it. Despite leading authorities to multiple sites where he claimed to have disposed of her remains, nothing was ever recovered, forcing her family to conduct a funeral with minimal DNA evidence from the crime scene.
Initially sentenced to 21 years for the brutal murder, Wynne’s term was reduced to 18 years by the Court of Appeal. After a parole hearing in February 2022, where his conduct was described as “overwhelmingly positive” and his remorse as “genuine,” the Parole Board recommended his transfer to open prison conditions. Subsequently, a senior judge overturned the Secretary of State’s initial rejection, approving his move to open conditions in 2023.
As part of his release conditions, Wynne must abide by various regulations, including residing at a specified address, demonstrating good behavior, disclosing relationships, and undergoing supervision, drug testing, vehicle use disclosure, and electronic monitoring.
Despite objections from Chantel’s mother, Jean Taylor, who has campaigned to keep Wynne behind bars, the parole panel noted the police’s confirmation of Wynne disclosing the locations of the victim’s remains, which could not be recovered due to the passage of time.
A Parole Board spokesperson emphasized that decisions are based on the potential risk to the public upon a prisoner’s release and their ability to manage that risk in the community. The Board meticulously reviews extensive evidence, behavior changes, and the impact on victims before making a decision, with public safety being the top priority.
