- Extension of Whole Life Orders will be applied
retrospectively to those who have committed the crime but are yet
to be sentenced
- Recent measures put an expectation on judges to hand out life
without parole where it applies in all but exceptional cases
- New move means this will apply to those already caught,
putting more monsters away for life
Today (3rd October) the Prime Minister and Justice Secretary have
announced that the legal expectation placed on judges to hand
down whole life orders, except in extremely limited
circumstances, will apply retrospectively to those who have
already committed the crime but are yet to be sentenced.
The move is the latest tough measure introduced by this
government to protect the public by putting society’s worst
killers behind bars for longer and ensure that life really does
mean life.
In August the Prime Minister announced a new expectation on
judges to hand down whole life orders where they can apply, other
than in exceptional cases, and extended their application to
include those who commit murder with sexual or sadistic conduct –
ensuring that these horrific killers can be put away for
life.
Today’s announcement means these changes will apply not just to
offenders who commit their crime after the legislation kicks in,
but to all offenders of those crimes that have been committed but
not yet sentenced after this change. That means more vicious
murderers will feel the consequences of their actions, and more
families and loved ones will see offenders face a life behind
bars, with no prospect of being released.
These changes will be brought forward in legislation at the
earliest opportunity.
Prime Minister said:
“The public rightly believe that the most despicable killers
should face life behind bars. That’s why we are ensuring life
means life for the most serious cases without the chance of
parole.
“Today, we are announcing that we will extend whole life orders
to those who have committed the crime but have not yet been
sentenced so that more of the most vicious criminals face the
punishment they deserve with no hope of ever walking free.”
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, MP said:
“We are clear that for the most dangerous and depraved killers,
life should mean life in all but the most exceptional
circumstances.
“Our measures to increase the use of whole life orders, expand to
single murders with sexual or sadistic conduct, and enable judges
to hand them down in cases already going through the courts will
mean that society is better protected.”
