A JUDGE this morning overturned the "whole life" jail tariff of a psychopath who murdered a North East skin specialist.

Reginald Wilson, serving life for killing Dr David Birkett at his Middlesbrough home in 1990, can now ask the Parole Board to free him next month.

Wilson, 42, who was convicted of Mr Birkett's murder in 1991, was told by the then Home Secretary, Michael Howard, in 1994 that, in his case, "life means life" and he should die in jail.

However, after reviewing his case at London's High Court today, Mr Justice Tugendhat ruled there was no justification for a "whole life" tariff in Wilson's case - and cut his minimum term to 18 years.

That means that, after time spent on remand, Wilson can ask the Parole Board to free him in June.

However, the judge emphasised that Wilson will only be granted his freedom if he can convince the Parole Board it is safe to do so. When, and if, released, he will remain on perpetual "life licence", subject to prison recall if he puts a foot wrong ever again.

The judge said Wilson had tricked his way into Dr Birkett's home by pretending to be a motorbike courier with a parcel to deliver. He then felled his victim and killed him with 17 hammer blows to the head.

Later, in a search of Wilson's home, police found a cache of arms, including a sawn off shotgun and crossbows, and scientific examination of an apparently blank piece of paper revealed a plan to kill police officers.

In applying to have his whole life tariff overturned, Wilson's lawyers pointed to medical evidence that he was suffering from an "untreatable psychopathic disorder" at the time of the killing.