The mum of one of the victims of a horrific double murder says her family are in a ‘never-ending nightmare’ as her son’s killer prepares his latest bid for freedom.

Peter Newbery is responsible for one the of the island’s most shocking crimes in recent memory after committing the brutal rape and murders of teenagers George Green and Samantha Barton.

Samantha and George, both 16 and in care, were stabbed and strangled with a pair of shoelaces at the Leece Lodge halfway house care home in Braddan in February 2002.

Newbery, then a 23-year-old out of work abattoir worker of Willaston Crescent, also sexually assaulted both victims. He left Samantha’s body at Leece Lodge, while George was found dumped in a field half a mile away.

At the time of the murders, Newbery was out on bail for a similar attack and the two murders sparked a long-running childcare inquiry.

After being jailed in 2004, Newbery was told he must serve 20 years behind bars before he would be even considered for parole.

He first became eligible for parole in 2023 but in a hearing in October that year his application was refused.

But now a another hearing will take place next month which has prompted the launch of a petition on change.org urging the authorities not to release Newbery.

The petition has little legal weight as it is aimed at the UK Ministry of Justice and Parole Board England and Wales while the island’s parole committee is completely separate and autonomous.

But it has attracted more than 500 signatures since it was launched at the end of January, showing the strong feeling among the public over Newbery’s possible release.

While George’s family are not connected to the petition his mum Margaret is backing it.

She told Isle of Man Examiner: ‘We have nothing to do with the petition but I do back it.

‘It is very difficult. We never seem to get a break. That monster can now apply for parole each year.

‘It has been more than 20 years now and we had the anniversary of George and Samantha’s deaths recently.

‘It was a premeditated act and he was already on bail for another rape at the time. As far as I’m concerned he should never be released. For us it is a never-ending nightmare.’

The petition goes into some of the disturbing details of the case which included Newbery violating the bodies after death.

It says: ‘Peter Newbery was only given only a measly 20 years minimum to serve for the rapes and murders of his two child victims who he savagely murdered in 2002.

‘Please help to stop the same mistakes happening again in letting out this monster to go and rape and murder our children again.

‘I'm appealing to all the public to help continue with the justice for Samantha and George. But what's even more important to the victims if they still had their voice in stopping this monster from ever having the opportunity to rape and murder any child again in his lifetime.

‘This is something we should not have to appeal for, the level of this crime and Newbery’s violent history should have sealed his fate behind bars till his death but sadly I'm in the position now of having to appeal this.’

Following the hearing in October 2023, the parole committee unanimously agreed that Newbery was not suitable for release.

The double killer has been held at Jurby Prison since October 2020, after being transferred there from a UK prison.

No specific date has been set for Newbery’s parole hearing other than it will take place in March.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Home Affairs said: ‘While we cannot comment on individual cases, we can confirm that for any prisoner serving a mandatory life sentence, who has served their minimum tariff, there is no limit set on the time between parole applications.’