Murderer Tracie Andrews allowed out of jail for shopping trip

One of Britain's most notorious women murderers has been let out of prison to go shopping.

Tracie Andrews, who is serving life for stabbing boyfriend Lee Harvey and claiming he was the victim of a road rage attack, wandered around the shops with a friend and enjoyed lunch.

Mr Harvey's mother Maureen, 62, said the trip was "upsetting and traumatic". The Sun reported how Andrews, wearing sunglasses and carrying a designer handbag, caught the bus to York on Saturday after being released from Askham Grange open prison.

She bought DVDs, clothes, sportswear and beauty products, had a coffee and ate a Nando's.

Mr Harvey, 25, suffered more than 30 stab wounds and bled to death by his car in a country lane near the couple's home in Alvechurch, Worcestershire, in 1996. Andrews claimed she had watched as a maniac attacked him. But police found his blood in her boot after she hid the knife there.

In 1997 Andrews was jailed at Birmingham crown court, with a recommendation she serve at least 14 years. Last year it emerged that she had £5,000 of cosmetic surgery at taxpayers' expense.