Why wasn’t he sent back to jail? Career criminal was free to knife a young father to death after series of blunders by probation officials
- Timothy Deakin, 23, was on licence from prison when killed Michael Hoolickin
- Mr Hoolickin, 27, was stabbed trying to stop Deakin attacking his own sister
- Career criminal Deakin failed a 11 drugs tests before murdering father-of-one
- National Probation Service apologised for failings and said changes been made
Timothy Deakin, 23, pictured, was on licence from a 56-month prison term when he stabbed Michael Hoolickin in Manchester
A career criminal who stabbed a young father to death was free to kill because probation officials missed opportunities to recall him to jail, a coroner has ruled.
Timothy Deakin, 23, was on licence from a 56-month prison term for biting a stranger’s ear when he attacked Michael Hoolickin.
An inquest heard that in the months before window fitter Mr Hoolickin’s murder, Deakin failed a staggering 11 drugs tests, in direct breach of the terms of his release.
He also flouted a curfew, was arrested for dealing cannabis, convicted of driving offences and accused of carrying a knife.
Although he was given an official warning, probation staff were unaware of his drug use and failed to recall him to jail.
It meant Deakin, who had clocked up 27 convictions by the age of 18, was free to kill Mr Hoolickin, the father of a four-year-old son, outside a pub in Middleton, Manchester, in 2016.
Mr Hoolickin, 27, was stabbed multiple times trying to stop Deakin attacking his own sister. Deakin was convicted of murder and jailed for a minimum of 27 years.
Father-of-one Mr Hoolickin, 27, pictured with his son, was stabbed multiple times trying to stop Deakin attacking his own sister
The victim’s father, retired footballer Garry Hoolickin, 61, found out that Deakin was a serial criminal and, thanks to financial backing from the Professional Footballers’ Association, he enlisted a law firm to fight for probation workers to be quizzed over why Deakin was not recalled to jail.
The inquest revealed overworked staff struggling with government policy on managing offenders in the community and feeling under pressure not to recall them.
Poor training and incompetence meant crucial information about Deakin’s drugs tests was not passed on.
One officer was unaware Deakin had repeatedly tested positive for cocaine because she had not been trained on how to find this information on their computer system.
The victim’s father, retired footballer Garry Hoolickin, 61, pictured with Lesley Hoolickin, found out Deakin was a serial criminal received financial backing from the Professional Footballers’ Association to enlist a law firm to fight for probation workers to be quizzed
North Manchester coroner Joanne Kearsley criticised the National Probation Service for a catalogue of ‘missed opportunities’. She added that Mr Hoolickin would ‘probably’ be alive today had Deakin been sent back to jail.
The victim’s father said: ‘This man should not have been out on the streets. These … so-called professionals who are supposed to be protecting the public didn’t lock this thug up, and Michael was killed.
‘It’s no wonder criminals feel untouchable.’
A spokesman for the National Probation Service apologised for its failings and claimed changes had been made to ensure a similar tragedy was not repeated.