Michael Steele Set for Release After Serving 27 Years for "Essex Boys" Murders.
Michael Steele, one of the individuals sentenced for the notorious "Essex Boys" murders, is set to be released from prison on licence after serving 27 years, the Parole Board confirmed. Steele, now in his 80s, was handed a life sentence in 1998, alongside Jack Whomes, for the murders of Patrick Tate, 37, Tony Tucker, 38, and Craig Rolfe, 26, who were killed in December 1995.
The trio was shot at close range inside a Range Rover on a remote farm road in Rettendon, Essex, in a killing believed to stem from a drug deal dispute. The murders, which became infamously known as the "Rettendon Murders" or "Range Rover Murders," have since been depicted in the 2000 film Essex Boys, starring Sean Bean, and the Footsoldier film series.
All three victims had prior interactions with law enforcement, with Tony Tucker notably working as security at Raquels nightclub, where Leah Betts tragically passed away after taking an ecstasy pill shortly before the murders.
Despite their convictions, Steele and Whomes have consistently maintained their innocence, citing the testimony of "supergrass" Darren Nicholls, who claimed to be the getaway driver. However, their appeals were unsuccessful, with Lord Justice Kay in 2006 ruling there was no evidence of "unsafety" in the convictions. The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) also decided not to refer the case to the Court of Appeal in January 2023.
While Steele prepares for his release, his co-conspirator Whomes was granted release under strict licence conditions in 2021.
