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Killer David Ferguson from Chatham denied parole from HMP Wakefield 25 years after brutal murder of Hempstead dinner lady Susan Kent

A vicious killer who sexually assaulted his victim before stabbing her to death has been told he will not get parole on the 25th anniversary of her death.

On November 24, 1999, mum-of-two Susan Kent left her home in a smart residential road and popped out to do a spot of early Christmas shopping, before starting her job as a dinner lady at the nearby school.

Susan Kent was a much-loved mum and school dinner lady
Susan Kent was a much-loved mum and school dinner lady

That morning she bumped into a few acquaintances, had breakfast with a male friend, and got a statement from a building society before returning to her car at Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre, near Gillingham.

But she never arrived for her shift at Hempstead Junior School in Birch Grove, a few doors away from the home where she lived with her son Julian, aged 10 and seven-year-old daughter Jessie.

Her last known sighting was captured on CCTV at the shopping centre at 10.41am.

Hours later, she was discovered brutally murdered in a pool of blood in her bedroom.

She was semi-naked, had been sexually assaulted, her throat and breasts were slit and she was handcuffed.

David Convicted murderer Ferguson, pictured here in 2012, has been denied parole
David Convicted murderer Ferguson, pictured here in 2012, has been denied parole

A full-scale manhunt was launched to track down the evil monster who could have done this to a 33-year-old woman who loved working with children and older people.

Police eventually got their man - David Ferguson, an ex-boyfriend who lived in Port Rise, Chatham and who perversely had even offered to help officers in their investigation to find the killer.

As the 30-year-old remained in a prison cell, details of his sordid lifestyle emerged - his attraction to snuff movies; a fascination with stabbing, rape and bondage; and he had the words Murderous Intent tattooed on his back.

He had discussed on internet chat forums setting up a UK Rape Club, where female victims would wear badges to identify themselves.

Copious amounts of pornography were found at his home, where he lived with a lodger.

Ferguson, now 56, has always maintained his innocence but at his trial, a forensic officer said the chances of DNA found at the murder scene belonging to anyone else than him were “a billion to one”.

Ferguson is serving life at HMP Wakefield
Ferguson is serving life at HMP Wakefield

He is currently serving life, a minimum of 20 years, at Wakefield Prison in West Yorkshire.

It was at the maximum security jail he previously wrote a regular blog protesting the injustice of his conviction in November 2000.

He was investigated by the Ministry of Justice for the online blog in which he bragged about his love life and complained about the prison facilities, including cold showers.

In August 2015, the murderer, who referred to women as “meat” married prison penpal Carol Nash in the grounds of HMP Wakefield. Ferguson describes her as his “kitten”.

In two previous reviews of his detention, prison boards found Ferguson is “highly dangerous” and should be kept in as a top security “Category A” prisoner.

He appeared before the parole board last month but was refused.

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