The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has recently referred another ‘Imprisonment for Public Protection’ (IPP) case to the Court of Appeal after reviewing the sentence of a man who has spent 16 years in custody despite receiving a minimum term of only three years. This case is the seventh IPP or Detention for Public Protection (DPP) sentence referred by the CCRC to the Court of Appeal since the beginning of 2026. It forms part of a wider CCRC review into people serving indeterminate public protection sentences. Up to 180 cases with IPP and DPP sentences imposed on children and young adults are currently being investigated by the CCRC. IPP sentences of are indeterminate sentences, intended for serious offenders who were considered “dangerous” to the public, but whose crimes did not merit a life sentence. DPP sentences applied to people under 18 who were considered dangerous, while IPP sentences applied to adults. Both carried indeterminate sentences, meaning people could remain in custody indefinitely if they were not considered safe for release. In this most recent case, the man was convicted of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and false imprisonment. He was 18 years old at the time of the offence. The court gave him a Detention for Public Protection sentence, often called a DPP, with a minimum tariff of three years. Although the minimum term expired many years ago, the man remains in prison. The CCRC has now concluded there is a real possibility that the Court of Appeal will decide the original sentence was flawed because too little weight was given to his age and maturity when judges assessed his future risk. The man previously appealed against his sentence, but the appeal was rejected. He then applied to the CCRC in March 2025. We will update you with more details when we have received the judgment. Background Recent Court of Appeal rulings have increased scrutiny of IPP and DPP sentences imposed on young offenders. In several judgments, appeal judges found sentencing courts had not properly considered the age and emotional development of defendants before imposing indefinite detention. Earlier Court of Appeal Decisions On 23 April 2026, the Court of Appeal quashed the indeterminate sentences of six prisoners serving IPP or DPP sentences. Three of those referrals came directly from the CCRC. All three individuals were sentenced more than 15 years ago when they were young men, and none had received tariffs longer than three and a half years. The CCRC has welcomed those decisions and is encouraging other people in similar situations to contact the Commission, particularly if they have already lost an appeal. IPP and DPP sentences were abolished in 2012 after widespread criticism. However, abolition did not automatically release existing prisoners from the conditions attached to their sentences. Many people remained in prison years beyond their original tariffs. CCRC’s visit to HMP Send Alongside its casework, the CCRC has continued its outreach work in prisons. Last month, members of our female outreach team attended a women’s prison forum at HMP Send, to raise awareness, discuss concerns, or any barriers that may prevent women from seeking our help or contacting us. It was a real pleasure for us to speak to the women who attended the forum and to listen to their concerns, and answer the many insightful questions they had. We learn a great deal from attending these forums about how we could communicate better with the women who may need the CCRC’s help.

 This was day three of the Burnham administration delivering an early morning nugget of news: business rates in England today, bus fares in England yesterday, a VAT cut on electricity bills the day before.

The clear intention: To reprioritise, as Andy Burnham puts it. Give people "breathing space", to quote perhaps his most repeated phrase of his opening week in power.

Alongside the announcements, a blitz of calls to fellow leaders and – as ever – responding to events.

First, domestic - Burnham’s intervention this afternoon on the early release of prisoners in England and Wales demanding a pause, a case study in the dilemmas of governing: Crowded prisons and difficult choices between least worst options – which criminals to free first.

Second, the prime minister must brace himself for major developments on the international front.

After he renewed the sanctioning of British bases for what is called “defensive purposes” - as was originally agreed by Sir Keir Starmer - Iran is claiming they have become legitimate targets... while the oil price is spiking.

Life for Burnham is unlikely to slow down.