A REVIEW process has begun over whether a handyman who murdered four people at the New Forest country house where he worked should be released from prison.

George Francis Stephenson was found guilty in October 1987 of murdering Joseph Cleaver, his disabled wife Hilda Cleaver, their son Tom Cleaver and the family nurse, Margaret Murphy, in a crime that shocked the nation.

The trial judge recommended that Stephenson, who was 36 when he was sent down, should spend at least 25 years behind bars before being allowed to seek parole. However, in 2001, the Home Secretary at the time, Labour’s Jack Straw, increased this to 35 years.

A failed appeal bid from Stephenson followed in 2008, meaning this year was set as his minimum tariff – the minimum number of years he must spend behind bars before being considered for parole.

Stephenson was recently automatically referred to the Parole Board by the Secretary of State for Justice and a parole review has started in the standard process.

A Parole Board spokesman said: “Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.

“The panel will carefully examine a whole range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as understand the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims.

“Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority.”

The parole review process takes several months and no dates have been set for any hearings at this stage.

Stephenson and his co-defendants - brothers George and John Daly - were convicted after a three-week trial.

The killing spree took place at Burgate House in Fordingbridge in September 1986. He worked at the house until he was dismissed from his job in August that year.

Three weeks later, on September 1, he returned with two other men and broke in.

Armed with a gun and pickaxe handles, Stephenson and his accomplices burst into the house while the Cleavers and Mrs Murphy were having dinner party. The victims were forced upstairs where they were bound and gagged.

Tom Cleaver’s wife, Wendy, was repeatedly raped, beaten and strangled. After her murder, the gang killed the other four victims by dousing them in petrol and setting them alight.

Stephenson, who was acquitted of murdering Wendy Cleaver. was sentenced to six life sentences for murder, rape and robbery, and John Daly was handed seven life sentences after being convicted of the same offences. George Daly was cleared of murder but sentenced to 22 years for rape, robbery and manslaughter.

No one wanted to buy Burgate House in the wake of the horrific crimes committed there and the house of horror was eventually demolished.

In 2008, Mr Justice Tugendhat upheld the 2001 decision of Mr Straw.

The judge rejected arguments by Stephenson's legal team that the figure should revert to 25 years.

Mr Justice Tugendhat described the murders as "sadistic", adding that three of Stephenson's victims were vulnerable because of their age and disability.