Lords to vote on reforms to 'inhumane' jail sentences

Many languishing in prison after indefinite terms scrapped

- AMY-CLARE MARTIN

The House of Lords is set to vote on a series of measures to help prisoners languishing in jail under “unjust” indeterminate sentences as families beg: “Put an end to this.”

Campaigners have warned that reforms are a matter of life and death for inmates trapped under imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentences, after almost 90 suicides. Those include the tragic case – highlighted by The Independent – of Scott Rider, who took his own life in despair after serving 17 years after being given a 23-month jail term.

A senior coroner criticised the sentence as “inhumane and indefensible” last month as he issued a warning to the government about the risk of further deaths. Tomorrow, peers are set to debate a host of amendments to the Victims and Prisoners Bill to help IPP prisoners – but proposals fall short of a resentencing exercise called for by families and the justice committee.

The controversial sentences – in which offenders were handed minimum jail terms but no maximum – were scrapped in 2012 amid human rights concerns, but not for those already sentenced, leaving thousands languishing in jail for years beyond their original prison terms.

Of 2,796 IPP inmates currently incarcerated, 1,180 have never been released and 708 have served more than 10 years longer than their minimum tariff. They include cases such as those of Wayne Bell, who has served more than 16 years for stealing a bike; Thomas White, who is still in prison 12 years after he stole a mobile phone; and Aaron Graham, who has served almost 20 years after he punched a man in a fight.