A paedophile who snatched a three-year-old girl from a caravan, sexually assaulted her, and then drowned her has been refused parole for the fifth time.
Background of the Crime
Xavier Themis, formerly known as Gary Hopkins, was sentenced to four life terms for the kidnap and murder of Leoni Keating, as well as the abduction of two other girls. Leoni was taken from her caravan in September 1985 while on holiday with her mother Gail at Seashore Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth. Her mother had left the child alone while she went for a drink.
Leoni's body was discovered four days later in the River Lark at Barton Mills, near Mildenhall. She had been gagged, her hands bound with a washing line, and she had been sexually assaulted.
Conviction and Sentencing
Themis, aged 28 at the time and known as Gary Hopkins, was found guilty of murder in June 1986 at Ipswich Crown Court. The trial judge branded him a 'menace to the public'. In 2008, he was informed that he would need to serve a minimum of 30 years before becoming eligible for parole.
Fifth Parole Review
Now 68, Themis underwent his fifth parole review. The panel concluded that he was not safe to be managed within the community and rejected any possibility of a transfer to an open prison. Probation officers, prison staff, psychologists, and legal representatives all provided evidence during the hearing.
His most recent bid was rejected in December 2024. Parole Board documents reveal that he completed several courses while in custody. A summary stated: 'Mr Themis had embarked in June 2023 on a programme to address sexual and violent offending.' Despite this, those who gave evidence did not support his wish to be freed or transferred to a lower-security unit.
Hopkins was handed a minimum 29-year prison sentence in 1986, and this marked his fifth Parole Board hearing since completing his original minimum term, which concluded in 2015.
