Murderer Russell Causley speaks at public parole hearing

In the first hearing of its kind, murderer Russell Causley said he burned his wife Carole Packman’s body in their Westbourne garden – but was not responsible for her death.

Carole Packman disappeared from the family home in 1985 shortly after visiting a solicitor to enquire about divorcing Causley, who had moved his lover into the family home a year earlier.

Speaking off camera from HM Lewes prison, the now 79-year-old was questioned by three members of the parole panel in proceedings which were watched virtually by around a dozen members of the public and several journalists in London on Monday.

The hearing was not a criminal trial, but a process to help determine whether Causley – who was described as “physically frail” – would be a risk to society if released.

Russell Causley and Carole Packman (Image: Gillingham family)

He told the panel he did not murder his wife in 1985, which he was found guilty of twice, but that he helped cover it up by disposing of her body.

He gave a rambling account of the circumstances, changing his story multiple times throughout and admitting: “I lied. I’ve lied consistently. I’ve changed stories consistently.”

He claimed that his mistress had told him to murder his wife, but also alleged that she had carried out the killing herself and that he was left with her body in his garage.

The panel grilled Causley about his confession in which he stated Carole Packman was strangled at their home, before he burned the body and spread the remains on roadsides and hedgerows in the Bournemouth area.

However, a probation officer stated that police had investigated the claim regarding Causley’s mistress and that there was no evidence to support this.

“I can’t believe I did what I did,” Causley told the panel.

One member questioned Causley over several previous confessions he had made admitting he had killed his wife, including one at a parole hearing in 2014.

Panellist Peter Jones asked: “Is the coward’s way out not to now finally, at the age of 79, accept what you did?”

Causley disagreed, saying he did “the most disgusting thing anyone could ever admit to”. When asked whether he felt disposing of the body was worse than committing murder, he said: “Oh god yes.”

Russell Causley

Causley was first released from prison by the Parole Board in 2020 after serving 23 years for the murder but was returned to jail in November 2021 for breaching licence conditions.

The parole hearing heard Causley twice threatened to commit suicide during his initial release.

Causley said a previous description of him as a "proven habitual liar" was a fair assessment given his many previous confessions, but maintained he loved his wife and that his previous confessions were made to aid his release.

When asked whether he would agree with the assessment that he is a "cold, ruthless and consummate liar", Causley said: “I don’t like the words cold and ruthless. I’ve lied consistently and changed stories consistently.”

On the subject of risk, Causley's behaviour was described by a member of prison staff as “exemplary”, and his prison offender manager said she believed he would be of low risk to the public if released.

When asked whether he thought he deserved to be released on parole again, Causley answered “probably not”.

A 654-page dossier of information about Causley provided to the panel included a victim impact statement made by Ms Packman’s daughter.

A final private hearing detailing information not to be heard publicly will take place on Friday, December 16, after which a decision should be made within 14 days.