A MOTHER has said she is “sick with relief” at the news her daughter’s murderer will stay behind bars.

Donald Mackay was jailed in 1989 for the brutal murder of 26-year-old Ann Petherick.

He was sentenced to 44 years in prison and to serve a minimum of 30 years.

Since then Ann’s mum Ida, of Newbridge Road, Tiptree, has battled to prevent him being let out earlier.

She spoke out against a review of his parole in 2006, after just 17 years in prison.

The 70-year-old has had to go through the heartache all over again because his sentence has had another review.

Mrs Petherick received a letter from the Probation Service on Friday telling her of Mackay’s fate.

She said: “I knew what it was, and I was shaking so much as I opened it.

“It says: ‘The decision was that this prisoner must stay in closed conditions with no re-categorisation for the forseeable future.’ “I just feel sick with relief.”

In recent months, the justice system has come under fire for being too soft with its sentencing, but Mrs Petherick has nothing but praise for the judge.

She said: “It shows that everything we have done has helped keep him in.

“All the fighting has been worth it. I feel that justice really has been done.

“My husband died about four years ago, thinking that man would spend the rest of his life in prison. I hope he now will.

“The envelope says private and confidential on the front, but it’s not, is it? Everyone should know.”

Mackay was 42 when he was convicted of murdering Ann, who had been working as a prostitute in London.

Police discovered her body when they searched his flat in north London after arresting him in connection with a sadistic, violent physical and sexual assault on prostitute Rosemary Saunders.

Ann’s decomposing body was found bundled in a black plastic bag. Her facial bones had been caved in by three or four heavy blows, making it likely she died from suffocation as a result, and had a broken bone in her foot and a bruised shoulder.

The killer had a previous conviction for manslaughter in 1984 when he received five years for stabbing a man to death with a sword.

He was described by an Old Bailey judge as a grave danger to the public and, in particular, women.