The rapist stalker who orchestrated the horrific acid attack on TV star and model Katie Piper has lost his bid for freedom.
Daniel Lynch, now 50, was jailed for life in 2009 for rape and for arranging the sickening assault that left the then 24-year-old with devastating burns and blind in one eye.
He enlisted teenager Stefan Sylvestre, then 19, to throw sulphuric acid at her face as she walked along a street in Golders Green, north London.
A judge at the time branded his crime an act of ‘pure, calculated and deliberate evil’.
Lynch was considered for parole for the first time this week having served the minimum 16 years of his life sentence.
The prospect of him being freed was said to have terrified mother-of-two, Katie, who was left needing hundreds of operations following the assault.
However, a document released by the Parole Board today outlined that Lynch should not be released. He also himself said he was not ready to return to the community.
It said: ‘The panel considered a large dossier of written evidence and it received oral evidence over a period of two full days.
‘It noted that Mr Lynch had been involved in a dreadful attack with the use of life-threatening sulphuric acid against the victim.
Katie Piper (pictured) was aged 24 when Daniel Lynch plotted the attack in March 2008
Lynch (pictured), now 50, was jailed for life in 2009 for arranging the sickening assault that left the then 24-year-old model and presenter with devastating burns and blind in one eye
‘The panel considered his actions to be clearly an act of revenge.’
The horrifying assault left Katie needing hundreds of operations after being left with severe burns and life-changing injuries.
She has appeared in documentaries about her recovery – including a landmark 2009 film ‘Katie: My Beautiful Face’ – and competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2018.
In 2023, Katie said: ‘I’m 40 this year. Am I going to die in the next 10 years?
‘I don’t actually know. The people that attacked me will be released. Are they going to kill me? I’m not sure.’
The document from the parole board continued: ‘The panel noted that Mr Lynch had spent a little over 18 years in prison and that he had undertaken some work to address his risk factors but that there remained a need for him to complete more work.
‘The panel concluded that Mr Lynch does not yet have the necessary controls to manage his emotions and direct his thinking skills in relationships.
‘Mr Lynch has accepted that he is not yet ready to be released. After considering the circumstances of his offending, the progress made while in custody and the evidence presented at the hearing, the panel was not satisfied that release at this point would be safe for the protection of the public.
‘Having established a need for further offence focussed work, the panel did not recommend to the Secretary of State that Mr Lynch should be transferred to an open prison.
‘He will be eligible for another parole review in due course.’
They added: ‘In its assessment of his case, the panel determined that Mr Lynch was yet to complete work to address his use of sexual violence and issues surrounding relationships and consent.’
Lynch was found guilty of rape and grievous bodily harm at Wood Green Crown Court in March 2009 and admitted actual bodily harm.
Sylvester was jailed for life with a minimum of six years for grievous bodily harm. He was released in 2018 on licence and is believed to be living abroad after absconding.
Lynch was said to have become obsessively jealous after briefly dating Piper before the attack.
He and Sylvestre were told by Judge Nicholas Browne KC that they had ‘planned and then executed an act of pure, calculated and deliberate evil’.
For the first time, when interviewed by Parole chiefs, Lynch admitted his crimes.
He told the panel that he had subjected the victim to a ‘terrifying ordeal’, had assaulted her and raped her.
Later in the hearing, the panel noted that Lynch attempted to distance himself from the admissions he had made.
The case was considered at an oral hearing which took place over two days this month via a video link.
Mr Lynch indicated through his legal representative that he hoped to be transferred to open conditions as a result of the Parole Board review but this has also been rejected.
In reaching its decision, the panel considered the contents of Mr Lynch’s dossier, prepared by the Secretary of State.
The panel had the benefit of a victim personal statement which clearly conveyed the impact of his crimes and the consequences of his offending.
The contents were given careful consideration by the panel.
The report added: ‘At the time of his offending, these risk factors had included his misuse of drugs and alcohol, his difficulties in managing extreme emotions and his poor coping skills.
‘The panel noted poor decision making, a lack of victim empathy and Mr Lynch’s insensitivity in relationships.
‘Mr Lynch had a tendency to ruminate, a sense of entitlement and a fear of humiliation if he were to be the loser in any conflict.
‘He was prepared to use violence, including sexual violence, including as a means of control.
‘In this case, protective factors which would reduce the risk of reoffending were considered to be the family support available to Mr Lynch and his strong desire to better himself and to build a social network.
‘Evidence was presented at the hearing regarding Mr Lynch’s progress and custodial conduct during this sentence.
‘He had undertaken accredited programmes to address his decision making and his use of violence.
In 2018, he transferred to a specialist regime designed to help people recognise and deal with a wide range of problems.
‘He was deselected from the regime 20 months later due to his poor behaviour and the managers of the intervention believed that he would have benefited from further work.
‘Mr Lynch then engaged with an accredited programme to address his behaviour in relationships.
‘He also engaged with individualised work in custody and he had worked hard in obtaining a considerable number of qualifications.
‘Mr Lynch had completed work on victim awareness, conflict resolution and anger management.’
