Sister's anger at killer's bid for prison release

The sister of a woman who was beaten to death and buried at a Yorkshire beauty spot has spoken of her anger at the killer's bid to be released from prison.

Martin Bell attacked Gemma Simpson, 23, with a hammer and stabbed her at his Harrogate flat in May 2000 before dismembering and burying her body at Brimham Rocks, near Pateley Bridge.

In 2014, Bell confessed to the killing and in December that year was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 11 years and 205 days for manslaughter with diminished responsibility.

The Parole Board confirmed a hearing is to take place - but Gemma's sister Naomi Carrack said Bell is "not somebody we want walking the streets of society".

Warning: This story contains distressing details

Bell attacked Gemma, from Leeds, with a hammer, bludgeoning her body before stabbing her in the back and the back of the head.

When he realised Gemma was still alive, he dragged her body to the bath and laid her face down, where he left her for several days.

Bell, now in his 50s, dismembered Gemma and buried her remains at Brimham Rocks.

He stayed silent for 14 years, during which time Gemma was considered a missing person. He confessed in July 2014, walking into a police station in Scarborough to admit to the killing before telling officers where he had buried her body.

He pleaded guilty to manslaughter with diminished responsibility and was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court later that year.

A psychiatric report carried out after Bell's arrest diagnosed him with a psychotic mental illness and, during his trial, the court heard he told Gemma that God wanted him to kill her.

Bell, from Scarborough, was given a minimum term of 12 years, but this was reduced to 11 years and 205 days because of the time spent in custody.

In 2025 the parole board recommended he be moved to an open prison, but now he is applying for full release.

Gemma's sister said he should not be released, and she has not been given any evidence to suggest Bell has been rehabilitated.

She said the time he has spent behind bars is neither "fair nor just".

"I don't have any hope [his application] will be rejected because of how fluid it's been for him to go from regular prison to open prison," she said.

"I don't see why he'll struggle at this point - everything has very much gone his way so far".

She added: "I had police officers in this very room for three hours explaining to me what the circumstances of my sister's death were and it was utterly horrific.

"From that, I really hoped and believed that for such a horrendous act - a monstrous act - he would be sentenced and justice would be there. But it has not been there".

Carrack said: "I'm desperately sad and I feel Gemma has been really, really let down.

"The bitterness we all have for him, he will never be forgiven... but I think the bigger picture is that it needs to stop happening to families - these sentences are not fair."

Carrack added if Bell's release bid is successful, she and her family will "go on missing [Gemma] and knowing what happened" to her, while Bell "moves on" with his life.

The Parole Board told the BBC a hearing had been listed for his parole review, and was scheduled to take place in September.

"Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community," a spokesperson said.

"A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims."

The spokesperson said evidence would be given at the hearing from witnesses including probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists, officials supervising the offender in prison as well as victim personal statements are then given at the hearing.

They added: "Parole reviews are always undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority."

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