Catherine “Cat” Razzell recounts the day her mother, Linda Razzell, vanished in March 2002, an event that forever changed her family. At 14 years old, Cat was left without answers as her mother failed to collect her younger siblings from school, and was never seen again. Linda, who struggled with mental health issues, was in the midst of divorce proceedings from her husband, Glyn Razzell, at the time. Despite initial assumptions that she had left voluntarily, the family harbored serious concerns, citing Glyn’s history of violence towards Linda and their children.
On March 19, 2002, Linda departed from her home in Highworth and was last observed near Swindon College, where she worked as a learning support assistant. Weeks later, Glyn Razzell was arrested and charged with her murder. The prosecution argued that financial motives played a key role, as a recent Family Court order had frozen Razzell’s bank accounts following his cessation of maintenance payments, restricting his access to funds. On the day of Linda’s disappearance, he reportedly borrowed a car from a friend, abducted her, and then killed her by unknown means before disposing of her body.
In November 2003, Razzell was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. Police found traces of Linda’s blood in the car’s boot, and inconsistencies in his account undermined his claims of her voluntary disappearance. He has consistently denied guilt and refused to disclose the location of Linda’s remains. His appeals have been repeatedly rejected, including two bids to the Criminal Cases Review Commission. As a result, he has been denied parole multiple times, with one refusal in 2021 marking the first under “Helen’s Law,” legislation requiring the Parole Board to consider a prisoner’s refusal to reveal a victim’s body location when assessing suitability for release.
In 2023, concerns raised by the Parole Board about Razzell’s behavior towards female staff in prison, as well as his continued denial and failure to reveal Linda’s whereabouts, contributed to his parole being refused once again. Nonetheless, early in 2024, the Parole Board approved his release, citing that he no longer posed a risk. This decision is now subject to review by the High Court following the Justice Secretary’s introduction of a new power to refer parole decisions if they risk undermining public confidence. Razzell remains incarcerated pending this review, which is the first high-profile case under the referral system.
Cat Razzell, now a mental health advocate and musician, has worked with Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse to shed light on the impact of domestic homicide. She describes her father as a classic example of coercive control, a form of psychological abuse that isolated and terrorized her mother. Throughout their separation, Glyn Razzell reportedly engaged in manipulative tactics, including withholding financial support and publicly intimidating Linda.
The family has never recovered from the loss, particularly as Linda’s body remains undiscovered. Cat has spoken publicly against the government’s recent policy of early prisoner release amid prison overcrowding, which has expedited the freedom of tens of thousands of inmates, including some convicted of serious offenses. She calls the scheme “disgraceful,” emphasizing the detrimental message it sends about public safety and victims’ rights.
As the High Court prepares to rule on Razzell’s parole, Cat expresses fear not only for the unknown whereabouts of her mother’s remains but also for possible contact from her father upon his release. Despite the persistent trauma, she credits her mother’s love and care for the resilience she and her siblings have maintained in the aftermath of a profound family tragedy.