Reginald Wilson (Image: Evening Gazette)

The release of a Teesside murderer has been halted at the last minute. Reginald Wilson was due to walk free from prison this week after spending 34 years incarcerated for the brutal killing of respected consultant and father-of-three, David Birkett.

In 1990, Wilson, who has since changed his surname to Zenshen, beat the doctor to death and proceeded to mock police, writing a note detailing his plan to "kill as many pigs as I can". Officers discovered Wilson's hideout in a derelict property on Union Street, which had been covered with graffiti including the German term "kopfjäger" meaning headhunter.

After a Parole Board assessment in October 2025, the killer was considered suitable for release. Justice Secretary David Lammy, who objected to

See Full Page