One of the 'Essex Boys' killers is set to face a two-day Parole Board grilling as he bids for release.

This comes as a new Sky documentary series launching on Sunday is set to reexamine the notorious triple murder - and claims the men jailed for the executions "did not carry out the murders".

Pat Tate, Tony Tucker and Craig Rolfe were shot dead as they sat in their Range Rover in a deserted country lane in Rettendon in December 1995.

Jack Whomes and Michael Steele, then 56, were arrested five months later and charged with the killings.

Michael Steele, originally from Great Bentley, who was nicknamed the Angel of Death, was jailed for life in 1998 for the murders of the men who were part of the 'Essex Boys' drug gang.

Whomes, who was released on parole in 2021, and 80-year-old Steele, who is still in prison, continue to protest their innocence.

MailOnline now reports Steele will appear before the parole panel and give evidence on May 10 and 11. The panel is being asked to recommend he be released on licence.

The media outlet reports the panel will take oral evidence from Steele's community-based probation officer and a psychologist employed by the prison service.

A spokesman for the Parole Board told MailOnline: "A two day oral hearing has been listed for the parole review of Michael Steele and is scheduled to take place in May 2023.

"Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.

"A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims.

"Members read and digest hundreds of pages of evidence and reports in the lead up to an oral hearing.

"Evidence from witnesses including probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists, officials supervising the offender in prison as well as victim personal statements are then given at the hearing.

"The prisoner and witnesses are then questioned at length during the hearing which often lasts a full day or more.

"Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority."

Essex Police has described its investigation into the murders as “exhaustive”.

“Since then, this case has been back before the Court of Appeal twice, in 1999 and 2006. These appeals have included focus upon key evidential aspects of the case,” a force spokesman added.

“Both appeals were rejected and in 2006 Lord Justice Kay commented that there was no ‘element of unsafety’ relating to the original convictions of both defendants.

“This case has also been reviewed by the Criminal Cases Review Commission who, as recently as January 2023, took the decision not to refer this case back to the Court of Appeal. We welcome this decision as this case has been exhaustively examined over the last 27-years and there is no fresh evidence identified which would call the original verdicts into question.”