Wednesday 31 December 2014

Not A Lot of News But taking this moment to wish Everyone who reads this and have supported us
TO WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR FOR 2015 AND MAY EVERYTHING YOU WISH COME TRUE.

Monday 29 December 2014

16th December 2014
 
Dear Mr
 
Re: Your Letter
 
I write in connection with the above which was received by me on the 15th December 2014.
 
You are entirely correct in what you say, and I am very conscious of the fact that the daily struggles experienced by lifer prisoners are not just problems suffered by IPP inmates.
In the New Year, I propose, having received your letter, to draft an article in Inside Time concerning all lifer inmates and not just to restrict myself to IPP prisoners.
Your letter was very well received. 
 
Yours sincerely
 
David Wells
WELLS BURCOMBE LLP
 
 The above is a copy of a email sent to my son and below is an excerpt from the inside times for December 2014

Over-tariff IPPs: an appeal for your stories

By David Wells - Partner, Wells Burcombe Solicitors, from insidetime issue December 2014
Two years ago the then Justice Secretary announced that IPP sentences were being abolished...

Over-tariff IPPs: an
appeal for your stories
Two years ago the then Justice Secretary announced that IPP sentences were being abolished. This was undoubtedly good news for those practising within the criminal justice system, but regrettably of no comfort to those serving IPP sentences at the time as the announcement was not applied retrospectively. This means that there are still thousands of IPP inmates left rotting in a prison system clearly incapable of addressing the rehabilitative requirements designed to reduce risk.
But there are still criminal practitioners, like me, and others outside the criminal justice system who take a great deal of interest in IPP prisoners. One such person is a journalist from the BBC, Zoe Conway, who reported on IPP prisoners for BBC Newsnight earlier this year. She wishes to continue to highlight the plight of those affected by this most draconian sentence. She has visited and listened to numerous family members who report the daily struggles of inmates to access courses and to prepare properly for parole board hearings. She and I discussed the recent debate in the House of Lords which announced new government figures which show that 121 people sentenced before 2008 to a tariff of 12 months or less are still languishing in prison. 8 of them were given tariffs of 3 months, 22 tariffs of less than 6 months and yet they are still inside. She quite rightly stated that most people would be surprised and perhaps shocked by this. Indeed, one House of Lords Peer when he learned of the many inmates well beyond tariff said 'how can that be justified.' He is right. It can't.
Even the Justice Secretary who abolished the sentence two years ago described the sentence itself as a stain on the criminal justice system. But perhaps even more alarmingly, the man responsible for the sentence all those years ago, the then Home Secretary David Blunkett, told BBC Newsnight that the sentence had in some cases led to 'injustices' and said ''I regret that''. He also told Zoe Conway, in her interview with him, that the Labour government ''got the implementation wrong''. He acknowledged that the problems with access to courses and the serious lack of resources generally was not foreseen. That statement alone is nothing short of shocking.
IPP sentences were to be reserved for only the most seriously violent and sexual offences. It was anticipated that this would affect about 900 prisoners. In 2011 there were 6000 IPP inmates. Now there are 5,500 and two-thirds of these are over tariff.
So what can be done? Apart from continuing to consider appealing IPP sentences where this has not been considered previously, and focusing on parole and sentence plan targets as best as possible in order to support release, individuals like Zoe Conway, who have great influence in the media can help. What is her aim? Well, she wants to find out who these inmates are serving these shorter tariffs, why they are still in prison and whether they are able to access courses and parole board hearings. She would like to tell individual and collective stories for broadcast on national news.
It is for this reason that I invite all such IPP inmates to write to me to share your stories. If you agree to share your plight with her through me, you can write to me and I will pass on your correspondence. You do not have to agree to have your name published or made public. You can simply share your story, the problems you have faced and obviously your own views on the position you face.
For my part, my firm continues to do all it can to ensure natural progression and even release for IPP inmates. Wells Burcombe have enjoyed much success at the Appeal Courts and have enjoyed equal success before the Parole Board. Wells Burcombe continue to receive numerous enquiries from IPP inmates concerning Parole. Should you have a pending Parole review or wish for advice concerning appealing your IPP sentence, simply write to us at the address below.
Wells Burcombe Solicitors
5 Holywell Hill, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 1EU




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Sunday 14 December 2014

Well another Christmas is creeping up on us and I am still no nearer to being home with my family.

I nearly lost my Dad back in August but could not get a compassionate visit to see him, luckily
he pulled through although still very weak he had his 94th birthday in October.

Mum has had it hard with dad being so ill, plus my sister has been ill as well, so hence the reason why there as not been very much in the way of  updates.

Hopefully things will look up in the new year we can only hope.

Would like to wish everyone who has looked at my blog a Very Merry Christmas to you all and
a Prosperous New Year to you all and keep on reading my blog

Friday 5 December 2014






BBC News UK

 




Prison book ban ruled unlawful by High Court

Prison cell

Related Stories

The government's ban on sending books to prisoners in England and Wales is unlawful, the High Court has declared.
Under the current rules prisoners are prevented from receiving parcels unless they have "exceptional circumstances", such as a medical condition.
Mr Justice Collins said he could see "no good reason" to restrict access to books for prisoners.
The Prison Service said it was a surprising judgement, and would look at how it would deal with the ruling.
Incentives scheme The legal challenge was brought by inmate Barbara Gordon-Jones, who is serving part of her life sentence at Send prison near Woking in Surrey.
The book ban was introduced in November last year in England and Wales, as part of a scheme which limits what prisoners can receive in parcels.
The Incentives and Earned Privileges scheme was brought in partly as an attempt to crack down on drugs getting into prisons.
Prisoners had argued that books sent to them in parcels can be key to their rehabilitation.
Prisoners are still able to read books borrowed from a prison library - and last month the Ministry of Justice relaxed restrictions on the number of books they could keep in their cells.
But it has been claimed that prison libraries are often inadequately stocked, and can be hard to access because there is not always staff available to take prisoners to them.
'Unnecessary and irrational' Mr Justice Collins said: "I see no good reason in the light of the importance of books for prisoners to restrict beyond what is required by volumetric control and reasonable measures relating to frequency of parcels and security considerations."
He said that the scheme referred to prisoners earning privileges, and added: "In the light of the statement made about the importance of books... to refer to them as a privilege is strange."
A Prison Service spokesman said: "This is a surprising judgement. There never was a specific ban on books and the restrictions on parcels have been in existence across most of the prison estate for many years and for very good reason.
"Prisoners have access to the same public library service as the rest of us, and can buy books through the prison shop.
"We are considering how best to fulfil the ruling of the court. However, we are clear that we will not do anything that would create a new conduit for smuggling drugs and extremist materials into our prisons."
Poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy Poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy campaigned against the rules
In a statement, solicitors for Barbara Gordon-Jones welcomed the ruling.
"Reading is a right and not a privilege, to be encouraged and not restricted," they said.
"Indeed, Mr Justice Collins commented that, as far as books are concerned, 'to refer to them as a privilege is strange'.
"The policy was unnecessary, irrational and counter-productive to rehabilitation. It is now rightly judged unlawful."
The shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan described the existing rules as "absurd".
"It had nothing to do with punishing and reforming prisoners but was an example of David Cameron's government's sloppy policy-making," he said.
The Liberal Democrats' home affairs spokesman Julian Huppert said: "We need education in our prisons. It's vital from the moment people walk through the door they get the help and rehabilitation they need to ensure they don't end up back behind bars."
'Responsibility to rehabilitate' Erwin James, who served 20 years for murder, described the original ban as "outrageous", and said books had helped him in prison.
He told BBC Radio 4's World at One: "I learnt that a good book can change the way you think about life. I was sent books by authors, I was sent books by probation officers.
"I was sent a book called The Grass Arena by John Healy, an amazing book of survival and redemption. You know, it was so important, so important for developing my own thinking and my own understanding of who I was and where I was going."
The rules have been opposed by arts' figures including Poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy, actress Vanessa Redgrave and author Kathy Lette.
A protest was held outside Pentonville Prison in north London in March.
Girl with a Pearl Earring author Tracy Chevalier. who also campaigned against the ban, said she was delighted with the ruling.
She told the BBC: "To me, books are an obvious way to help prisoners. We have a responsibility not just to punish people, but to rehabilitate them.
"Prison is the perfect time to read and to get inside the heads of other people. So that maybe, when you come out, you're more likely to think about other people rather than just yourself."
Author Philip Pullman said: "The ban on sending prisoners books seemed to me strikingly unjust and inhumane. Reading should be a right not a privilege to be withheld or allowed graciously by Her Majesty's government, or anyone else"

 PS

I DON*T UNDERSTAND WHY THE PRISON SERVICE AND THE GOVERMENT  DONT RESPECT OUR RIGHTS. WE ARE CHANGING THIS BLOG SO PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELF CAN  LEAVE  COMMENTS, THERE WILL BE NO ANNOMANOMOUS  COMMENTS. BE PROUD FOR WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU STAND UP FOR


Sunday 26 October 2014

Muslim inmate at IoW Prison planned kidnap and escape


Parkhurst Prison, now part of HMP Isle of Wight The Ministry of Justice said a "very basic description" of the prison interior was found

Related Stories


Detailed plans to kidnap a prison officer in a bid to escape from the Isle of Wight Prison, were found in the cell of a Muslim inmate.

An internal Prison Service document, seen by the BBC, reveals an Islamic State, or ISIS, flag was also found in the cell at the jail's Parkhurst site.

The prisoner was placed in the jail's close supervision unit.

A Ministry of Justice (MoJ) spokesman said security measures had been shown to be "robust" by the discovery.
'Detailed' plans
Details of the incident were contained in the weekly security bulletin of the National Offender Management Service which is compiled for all prisons in England and Wales.

In the bulletin for the week ending 19 October, it says "acting on intelligence a prisoner's cell was searched".

"Detailed escape plans involving taking a member of staff hostage were discovered."

It says activity at the prison was restricted "whilst the accommodation and his associates were searched".

The MoJ said "a very basic description" of the interior of the prison was found in the inmate's cell by "vigilant" staff, demonstrating the "effectiveness of its security measures".

HMP Isle of Wight was created in 2009 with the merger of Parkhurst, Albany and Camp Hill prisons.

 


 

 

Sunday 28 September 2014

 Check out the forgotton IPP's Lifers write up  from Simon Rollason. I wouls like to welcome him to Voice for Cons and we are now getting up and running slowly and surely tell your friends and family about us and give a link to other sites. Good luck Simon from Frankie. Simon has very kindly offered to put some legal imput and to start up a campaign for The forgotton Lifers Past Tarrif.

Friday 19 September 2014

The Forgotten Lifers

By Simon Rollason - GC Law Ltd, from insidetime issue September 2014
IPP didn’t start the fire

The Forgotten Lifers
Following the decision in Osborn and the unprecedented increase in Parole Board reviews, a considerable amount of interest has been generated in the national media regarding IPP sentences.
Of course, this interest must be applauded and any pressure which can be applied to finally curtail this monstrous piece of legislation should be welcomed. However, there are other prisoners in the estate who to a significant degree can find themselves understandably frustrated by the spotlight being set on IPP and at the same time leaving them in the shadows. They are those imposed an automatic life sentence between 1997 and April 2005, essentially for a second offence for one of 11 very serious offences, commonly referred to as the 'two strikes and you're out' sentence.
The history of such punitive periods for lifers started when life sentences were introduced in 1983 by the then Conservative administration. This was amongst other things as a result of the policy of "Three Strikes system" in the United States. However, the philosophy of US penal policy is somewhat different from that in the European Continent. The ideology and driver behind the US "Three Strikes system" is in my belief based upon the fundamental US premise that 'rehabilitation doesn't work', which means lock criminals up forever or kill them; both options are ridiculously expensive.
However, the European ideology is essentially one of working toward rehabilitation. The UK wants to go down the US system but realises it is too expensive, (even with the savings it can make with contracts to the private sector) and at the same time it has to contend with the European Courts and therefore it is limited from going the whole way.
In short, although in recent months the public and media attention has been focused that IPPs are a bad idea and the implementation of them was ill thought out, the reality is that the fundamental model of sentencing policy is not fit for the purpose of what one would hope is a modern enlightened and pragmatic penal system. Sadly, the current administration would appear to have contempt for the whole issue of prisons in relegating the minister in charge to an unpaid role, I am given to understand. There is a saying, if you pay peanuts you get monkeys ... what happens when you are not paying anything at all?
There are two ways to stop recidivism, lock up offenders forever or have a programme of proper rehabilitation, with proper access to the resources to enable that rehabilitation. The current position is an ill-conceived adhoc 'compromise' of the two. The concerns highlighted with IPP sentences recently are equally valid for life sentences. The Parole Board and the Prison Service need a full time paid minister with a full grasp of the issues to implement a dramatic review of automatic lifers. Sadly, given the current 'demotion' in status, I have to conclude the will is not there on their part to do so.
Simon Rollason is a Solicitor Advocate and Prison Law Specialist at GC Law Ltd in Hereford. Simon has represented inmates on Death Row in The State of Texas.


 
 
As printed in The Inside Times
Inside Time

Issue : September 2014

 
Back Issues
 

Monday 24 March 2014

Had fantastic visit with my son on Saturday
Long journey but worth every minute of the time.
Hope to be able to go again Thursday.
Good news he has had his AV stay extended not
sure how long for but anytime is better than none.
Especially after not seeing him for nearly 5 years.

Friday 21 March 2014

Early to bed tonight ready for the morning and journey to see my son 1st time in five years. Not looking forward to journey but I am looking forward to seeing my son at long last.


Not sure how long he is where he is but have got another visit booked for almost a weeks time

Wednesday 19 March 2014

Frankie is quiet pleased at moment with the visit on Saturday with me , my daughter
Son in law and two of my grandchildren.
He is still unable to get in contact with his legal team except via me at moment.
He says it is a lot quieter where he is at moment and food is edible.

Tuesday 18 March 2014

A MIRACLE HAS HAPPENED

OMG IT IS HAPPENING I WILL BE SEING MY SON FOR TJHE FIRST TIME IN FIVE YEARS.
ON SATURDAY AT 2pm
THANK YOU LONG LARTIN FOR MAKING THIS POSSIBLE FOR ME AND SOME OF MY FAMILY.
Will keep you updated as to how things have gone they offered me another visit on Sunday as well
but not sure if I can manage two trips in two days with my health problems I think it may be too much for me. I am shaking like a leaf at the moment.

Monday 17 March 2014

Waste of Time

Been at Long Lartin 11 days still no visits because VO's never got sent out took 1 week for it to be returned to me.
1 whole week wasted now told there are no visits available for weekends, knowing there are AV's down for their visits surely they should keep a few visits back for them. Really cheesed off looked forward ton seeing my mum have not seen her for 5 years she is 70 now even with AV's still unable to see my dad he is 93 with cancer so is unable to male journey.

Well fingers crossed that I will be able to get at least 1 visit with my mum before they ship me back to Frankland

Thursday 13 March 2014

4 years of waiting no visits now 28days 3 and half hour journey for family

I am at Long Lartin for AV's only been waiting 4 years.
Still a long journey for family though.
Waiting Inside Times to try and someone to update it more
regular as mum is finding it hard
with health problems.

Anyone who knows anyone who is interested please email     voiceforcons@gmail.com                                                                                                                                                         

Tuesday 4 February 2014

Had lots of trouble with prison service re my post not getting through.
Lots of problems still not solved.
Hoping still that it will sort out soon.
I am asking a friend of mine to take over the updating of the blog
I just hope he will be able to do it for me.
My mum has not been too good lately,hence no updates.
Will let you know when I hear from the othe guy if he can do it.