‘A killer who stabbed a woman 60 times during sex will give evidence at his parole hearing in private, even though an application had been granted for it to be held in public.’
BBC News, 16th July 2024
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘It is not that often that first instance judges in judicial review claims disagree as to the approach to be taken in the context of a core question relating to judicial review. When it happens, administrative lawyers are bound to take notice. This has most recently occurred in the context of rationality challenges to decisions taken by the Secretary of State for Justice to reject Parole Board recommendations to release or transfer to open conditions. The most interesting aspect of this recent phenomenon is that the High Court has managed to hand down, on our count, 13 reported decisions over the last two years, before the Court of Appeal has had the opportunity to “resolve” the issue, although a hearing is currently listed before the Court of Appeal in appeals against two of these decisions in October 2024. In this piece, we seek to explain the current position, highlighting areas of agreement and disagreement between first instance judges, and which questions remain, as yet, unresolved.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 11th July 2024
Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org
‘The parole hearing for Colin Pitchfork, who was convicted of raping and murdering two teenagers, will no longer be held in public due to “unforeseeable developments including fresh allegations”.’
The Guardian, 11th July 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The man who arranged for the model and TV presenter Katie Piper to be attacked with acid could be eligible for parole next month.’
The Guardian, 30th June 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘A second murder by a man who had killed before has been described as “horrific” but “rare” by the Probation Service.’
BBC News, 5th June 2024
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘As a UN expert on psychological torture, I’ve asked peers to reconsider the IPP sentences still affecting thousands in jail.’
The Guardian, 20th May 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘There is consensus in parliament that indeterminate sentences are unjust. So why is the government dragging its heels?’
The Guardian, 2nd May 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘A parole board has refused to release a prisoner trapped under an abolished indefinite jail term described as “torture”. Earlier this month Nicholas Bidar became the first IPP prisoner to have his parole bid held in public after new laws came into force to increase transparency around parole decisions.’
The Independent, 27th March 2024
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘The first IPP prisoner to have his parole bid held in public has revealed how each day is “torture” serving a sentence with no release date.’
The Independent, 10th March 2024
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘A man who killed his millionairess wife with a claw hammer has lost a court bid to be freed from prison.’
BBC News, 28th February 2024
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘The mother of one of Colin Pitchfork’s victims has expressed her anger after the rapist and murderer won an appeal for a fresh parole hearing to determine whether he should be released from prison.’
The Guardian, 12th February 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘A UN torture expert has said changes to the imprisonment for public protection (IPP) scheme in England and Wales do not go far enough and repeated her call for prisoners jailed under the indefinite sentencing regime to be granted release dates.’
The Guardian, 19th January 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘A High Court judge has said there was no “legitimate reason” to anonymise civil servants in a judgment concerning the parole of a rapist who has spent 41 years in prison. Declining a request to redact the names of junior civil servants, the Honourable Justice Fordham said nobody would be imperilled by his decision.’
Law Society's Gazette, 8th January 2024
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘Child killer Jon Venables has lost a Parole Board bid to be freed from jail. The 41-year-old, who tortured and murdered two-year-old James Bulger in 1993, still poses a danger to children and could go on to offend again, the Parole Board concluded.’
The Independent, 14th December 2023
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘[The Parole Board] had ruled Pitchfork could be released in June, but concerns about the danger he posed caused Justice Secretary Alex Chalk to intervene, making what is known as an “application for reconsideration” in July.’
BBC News, 7th December 2023
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Thousands of rehabilitated ex-prisoners serving long-since abolished indefinite sentences will become eligible to have their licence period terminated earlier as part of new reforms.’
Ministry of Justice, 28th December 2023
Source: www.gov.uk
‘A stalker who held his ex-girlfriend at gunpoint will be released from prison in February despite a parole board panel finding he was not safe to live in the community.’
BBC News, 22nd November 2023
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘The case of a sex offender who attacked a woman in her 70s just months after he was released from prison shows the parole system needs reforming, an MP said.’
BBC News, 12th October 2023
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘A man who killed his wife with a claw hammer has had his automatic release from prison blocked by the government.’
BBC News, 12th October 2023
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘A man jailed for murdering his estranged wife 20 years ago who still refuses to say where he hid her body is not safe to be released from prison, the Parole Board has said.’
The Guardian, 26th September 2023
Source: www.theguardian.com
© Inner Temple Library 2024