A SWINDON man convicted of murdering a teenager has been recalled to prison for the fifth time after he breached his licence conditions.

Wesley Keel was convicted of stabbing teenager Jonathan Busson to death in 1996.

Now 44, this is the west Swindon man's fifth recall to prison after being jailed for life with a minimum term of 12 years, minus the 11 months he had served on remand awaiting trial.

He was initially released from prison in 2010.

Recalled again

As previously reported, Keel, convicted of murder in 1997, was released in January 2021.

The parole board said he had taken part in various courses that were aimed at tackling issues with violent behaviour and substance abuse.

He was given a number of conditions, which included living in an approved premises, understood to be in Swindon, abide by a series of parole conditions and keep to a curfew.

But a spokesperson for the Probation Service confirmed to the Adver that he was recalled to prison last Sunday (February 6) following a breach of his licence conditions.

The spokesperson added: “Protecting the public is our number one priority so when offenders breach the conditions of their release and potentially pose an increased risk we don’t hesitate to return them to custody.”

Stabbed to death

Keel was 19 and the de-facto leader of a violent gang in Whaddon, Cheltenham, when he murdered Jonathan Busson - three years his junior.

On the night of Sunday, August 11, 1996, Jonathan was out with Keel’s younger sister Stacey. Keel pressured a friend into driving him around Cheltenham looking for the young couple.

He became more and more angry until he eventually spotted Jonathan and Stacey sitting on a bench at the end of an alleyway. Keel confronted the younger man and pulled out a knife. Jonathan pleaded with his attacker as Keel plunged the knife into him 10 times. A stab wound the heart proved fatal.

Keel left the scene, later directing his friend to twice drive past the scene where police were tending to him.

He then turned up at the hospital claiming to be Jonathan’s friend and offering to tell the boy’s parents their beloved son was dead.

Keel was convicted by a Bristol jury in July 1997 – almost a year after the murder. Judge Mark Dyer, who presided over the trial, said Keel showed no hint of remorse.

He was later said to have accepted his guilt, expressed remorse for his actions and made progress in prison. In 2006, Mr Justice Crane at the High Court ruled the minimum tariff Keel should serve be set at 12 years – minus 11 months served on remand awaiting his trial.

He was initially released on licence in 2010.

History of recalls

After initially being moved to "open conditions" in July 2009, he is back on closed conditions in August 2010.

Keel is released on licence in December 2010 and remains out for almost two years. He is recalled on his life licence in October 2012 after what the Adver understands was a police chase. Keel was in the pursued car.

In 2014 and 2015, he cycled between open and closed conditions in prison, before being released on licence in March 2017.

In October 2017, he is recalled back to prison, and is released between then and early 2019.

In March 2019, he is accused of the theft of two gold sovereign coins from a man in Swindon. Five months later, he admits taking £300 of goods from Wilko and is ordered to pay compensation.

He is recalled to prison for the fourth time in November 2019, and pleads not guilty to stealing the gold coins a month later. Prosecutors deem it not in the public interest to prosecute, and the charge is dropped.

In January 2020, he is jailed for six weeks, for the attempted theft of some rum from Tesco, stealing steak from the Haydon Wick Morrisons and a £1 lemon drink from the Kingshill service station.