Father remains incarcerated for 18 years despite an 8-month IPP sentence for brandishing a starting pistol
A father finds himself trapped in prison under an abolished indefinite jail term, having served a staggering 25 times longer than his original 8-month sentence, The Independent can exclusively reveal. James Lawrence was given a discredited Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentence with an initial minimum term of eight months back in 2006 for threatening someone with a starting pistol. At the time, he was just 20 years old and claimed in court that he had the imitation gun for protection following a near-fatal stabbing incident in Southampton the previous year.
Now at the age of 38, Lawrence is believed to be one of the longest-serving IPP prisoners in Britain, having spent nearly 18 years behind bars. His case sheds light on the plight of almost 3,000 IPP prisoners still held in custody, putting pressure on the government to take action. Lawrence’s mother, Mandy Lawrence, shared her anguish with The Independent, stating, “In his time he’s seen murderers come in and murderers go home. It’s tormenting for his family, let alone him.”
Initially, Lawrence needed to serve an additional four months and 14 days in prison to complete his eight-month minimum tariff, not accounting for time already served on remand. He was also sentenced to 10 months concurrently for an assault during a separate altercation in a pub, which has since run its course. The case has prompted Labour peer Lord Woodley to introduce a bill for the resentencing of all IPP prisoners, aiming to help individuals like Mr Lawrence secure their release.
The IPP jail terms, established under New Labour in 2005, granted offenders a minimum tariff without setting a maximum duration. Although the IPP sentences were discontinued in 2012 due to human rights concerns, individuals already imprisoned were not exempt from the ruling. Among the 2,734 remaining IPP prisoners, over 700 have surpassed their minimum tariffs by more than a decade.
Mandy Lawrence insists on the urgent resentencing of all remaining IPP prisoners, starting with those with the lowest original tariffs. She emphasised, “James isn’t a bad person…it kind of escalated from nowhere.” The toll of the lengthy sentence has taken a toll on Lawrence’s mental health, leading to multiple suicide attempts. His mother’s plea for justice echoes the sentiments of many families affected by the prolonged incarceration of their loved ones under IPP sentences.
Despite continuous efforts to draw attention to such cases and calls for action by various advocates, including the UN, the government has been slow to address the issue. With the release of IPP prisoners unlikely without intervention, there remains a pressing need for a comprehensive reconsideration of these extended sentences.
As the public and policymakers await a resolution, the plight of individuals like James Lawrence continues to underscore the urgent need for reform within the UK criminal justice system. The call for justice remains paramount for those impacted by the IPP sentencing practices, urging swift action to rectify these longstanding injustices.