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18/02/2014
Appeal Court Rule Whole-Life Sentences Can Be Used
Whole-life prison terms can continue to be served for the most serious of cases, the Court of Appeal has ruled.
The ruling follows a call by the European Court of Human Rights that the use of whole-life tariffs should be reviewed.
The appeal court has now ruled that while a whole-life sentence should be reviewed after 25 years, it does not stop the term from being used by judges in the most serious of cases.
The ruling comes amongst two appeals. The attorney-general, Dominic Grieve, had appealed a 40 year sentence given to convicted murderer Ian McLoughlin, arguing that it was unduly lenient. The court of appeal subsequently increased the sentence to a whole-life term.
And an appeal by convicted murderer Lee Newell, who argued his whole-life sentence was "manifestly excessive" was dismissed by the court.
Sentencing has been delayed in several high profile cases, such as the murderers of Fusilier Lee Rigby, pending the outcome of the appeal court ruling.
Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale were convicted in December of Mr Rigby's murder but the judge said that he would defer sentencing until after the Court of Appeal had ruled on the use of whole-life sentences.
(MH)
The ruling follows a call by the European Court of Human Rights that the use of whole-life tariffs should be reviewed.
The appeal court has now ruled that while a whole-life sentence should be reviewed after 25 years, it does not stop the term from being used by judges in the most serious of cases.
The ruling comes amongst two appeals. The attorney-general, Dominic Grieve, had appealed a 40 year sentence given to convicted murderer Ian McLoughlin, arguing that it was unduly lenient. The court of appeal subsequently increased the sentence to a whole-life term.
And an appeal by convicted murderer Lee Newell, who argued his whole-life sentence was "manifestly excessive" was dismissed by the court.
Sentencing has been delayed in several high profile cases, such as the murderers of Fusilier Lee Rigby, pending the outcome of the appeal court ruling.
Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale were convicted in December of Mr Rigby's murder but the judge said that he would defer sentencing until after the Court of Appeal had ruled on the use of whole-life sentences.
(MH)
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