Escaped murderer could head back to Burnley

And as an investigation was launched as to how he escaped, the "scared'' parents of his victim, mother of three Gillian Ellis, say he is evil and should have hanged.

Gillian was "stamped to death'' by punk-loving Jackson, then 21.

Jackson and another prisoner are thought to have cut their way through the jail's two perimeter fences using wire cutters.

After hearing yesterday that Jackson was "on the run'' from prison, Gillian's mum, Mrs Jean Peat, said: "He robbed us of our lovely daughter and took away the mother of three young children.

"He is evil and should have hung.

"He condemned all our family to a life sentence and he should have paid with his life. He took our lives away from us, you just can't get over something like that.''

Jean and Ronnie Peat now live in a small bungalow in the Turf Moor area of Burnley.

Ronnie still works as a cutter at the Dorma factory where Gillian also worked.

Jackson was sentenced to life at Manchester Crown Court in 1986.

Mrs Peat said: "I went to the trial for just one day, I couldn't go any more it was too upsetting.

"There was something very scary about Jackson, something evil.'' Mrs Peat said: "How could they let him escape?. I am so scared he may come back to Burnley.''

She added: "It was some small consolation when he was sent down. We didn't know where he was serving the sentence and we didn't want to.

"Ironically we have just returned from Nottingham where we went to a family wedding. We never thought we were anywhere near the animal who took away our daughter.''

Mr and Mrs Peat revealed that last year a probation officer went to their home to ask their views on Jackson possibly being given parole.

Mrs Peat said: "All our family were against it. Now we are wondering if he has been refused parole and decided to escape because of that.''

Mr and Mrs Peat have two sons and a daughter who all live locally. They also see Gillian's three daughters on an almost daily basis.

Their father has since remarried.

Mrs Peat said: "Since Gillian was murdered, I just can't settle. We must have moved about ten times. I have had a heart by-pass operation and knowing that this evil animal is on the loose is something we just don't need.

"When they catch him they should drown him. It is all he deserves.''

Jackson, now 32, is said to be dangerous and violent.

Police forces throughout the country have been alerted and members of the public warned that he should not be approached.

Jackson escaped through the prison perimeter fence with Neil Skinner, 22, from Bradford, who was serving a three year sentence for drug offences .

Staff at the jail said they had warned managers of a possible breakout 18 months ago when perimeter patrols were cut during the day.

Instead of two officers patrolling the 600-metre internal fence from 8am to 9pm, it was reduced to one. Following the escape the prison immediately reverted to two-man patrols.

Fred Okon, branch secretary of the Prison Officers' Association, said: "We warned them at the time that it could create problems and that something like this would happen but they never listened.

"Now that the horse has bolted they are going back to two-man patrols during the day which was what we wanted in the first place."

An internal investigation is under way at the prison into how the escape took place.

Jackson, who was known to his friends as "Froggy'' because of his long legs, is described as 6ft 2ins and well built.

He has blue eyes and short, straight, light brown hair.

Anyone who sees him should contact the police.

TRAGEDY struck the young Ellis family as they prepared to celebrate Christmas, 1984.

Mother-of-three Gillian, 29, a cutter at the Dorma factory in Burnley, had been to a works party at Coal Clough House Hotel and was walking the short distance home to Clay Street when she was attacked by muggers and then by punk music-lover and glue sniffer Darren Jackson.

First she was robbed and left unconscious by a gang who stole her handbag.

Then she was seen by Jackson, who stamped on her leaving an impression of his size 11 Doc Marten boots on her stomach.

Details of the killing horrified the people of Burnley.

Manchester Crown Court was told she had suffered terrible and massive internal injuries.

Her liver had "virtually exploded'', said prosecutor Benet Hytner.

Jackson, six feet two inches tall and weighing 13 stone, left a large muddy boot mark on her body.

The shocked court heard that Jackson stamped on her with such ferocity that a main blood vessel to her heart was torn, her pancreas split and ribs fractured.

Jackson, then 21, denied murder but admitted stealing a shoe, watch and make-up bag.

He was found guilty and sentenced to life.

A seventeen-year-old youth was cleared of a charge of robbery. Three men were convicted of robbing Mrs Ellis.

The gang had lain in wait and attacked Gillian leaving her on the ground in the Hargher Clough recreation area only a short distance away from her home where her husband and three daughters were asleep. Jackson stumbled across her unconscious body and brutally murdered her.

He had previously been sentenced to 12 months youth custody for grievous bodily harm to an 18-year-old youth by kicking him and causing damage to his liver.

That incident happened in the same play area where Gillian met her death.

Jackson showed little emotion when he was found guilty of murder.

Friends said Jackson had never had a girlfriend, preferring to go drinking and sniffing glue with his mates.

He was known to them as "Froggy'' because of his long legs.

He rarely had much to say for himself.

He was usually a quiet lad who enjoyed punk music and liked to drink lager.

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