Trapped: The IPP Prisoner Scandal

The inside story of the measures being taken by members of the House of Lords for IPP prisoners in the current parliamentary Victims and Prisoners Bill. We join Sam on 11th March 2024, three months after the inquest of Matthew Price, an IPP prisoner on license who took his own life, and one day before the Victims and Prisoners bill committee stage in the House of Lords. The two are linked because this bill is being heralded as perhaps the last opportunity for some time to use legislation to finally close the chapter on imprisonment for public protection sentences (IPPs) which the United Nations have called ‘cruel, inhuman and degrading’. The bill came to the Lords with an amendment which will change the license conditions for IPPs from 10 to 3 years, which might well have saved Matthew Price, who killed himself at the 10-year point of his license. So it's a start, but many think this is not enough, and at this stage there’s an incredible 17 amendments which relate to IPPs, pinned to the Victims and Prisoners Bill. Sam takes us behind the scenes to look closer at the Lord’s amendments, asking how much difference can they make? Can they really change the story on IPPs? Sam meets Lord Moylan who has been coordinating a group of Lords to table the amendments to the Bill. We hear more about his proposed change to the release test for IPP prisoners. She also sits down with Baroness Claire Fox, who is tabling the amendment on resentencing. This was originally proposed by Sir Bob Neil, Chair of the Justice Select Committee, and was rejected by the government back in 2023. Conservative Peer, Earl Attlee is the Grandson of the famous post-war Labour PM. He has long held an interest in criminal justice. He isn't confident that any of the amendments will get much support once they go back to the Commons and describes the political calculations being made by both the Labour and Conservative front benches. Sam also catches up with Matthew Price’s lawyers Emma McClure and Andrew Sperling following Matthew’s inquest. The coroner released a Prevention of Future Deaths report on how the IPP sentence contributed to Matthew’s death, urging the Secretary of State for Justice to act and stop any further deaths occurring. This is one of an unprecedented three Prevention of Future Death notices relating to IPP prisoners, which have been sent to the Government this year. At the Lord's debate on 12th March, the Labour Spokesperson for Justice, Lord Ponsonby and the Conservative Spokesperson for Justice, Lord Bellamy present a united front in opposing Baroness Fox's amendment: is it the end of the road for resentencing IPP prisoners? Get in touch on X, TikTok, Facebook, IG @Trapped_PodFollow the campaigners: www.ungripp.com @UNGRIPP & @ActionIPP Contributors in order of appearance: Lord Daniel MoylanBaroness Fox of BerkeleyJohn Richard Attlee, The 3rd Earl AttleeEmma McClure, Consultant SolicitorAndrew Sperling, Solicitor AdvocateCredits: Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumaduExecutive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzgProducer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERSConsultant: Hank Rossi A Zinc Media Production for the Institute of Now

Nicole, Madison and Matthew Price's stories.Nicole and Madison both served Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences. Now out on licence, Sam meets these two women in Parliament, whilst trying to lobby their MPs. She hears about life inside female prisons and how they are both doing now. As of December 2022, there were 40 women in custody serving IPP sentences. Sam also talks to Emma McClure and Andrew Sperling, criminal lawyers who represented Matthew Price, who was on licence when he took his own life in May 2023. They describe the terror that Matthew faced knowing he could be recalled back to prison at any time. It's situation that is not unique for IPP serving prisoners on licence: to date, 19 people serving IPP sentences in the community have taken their own lives since 2020.Read Matthew Price’s 'cry for help' email here:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wgAUyjdjdr9j8gO5NWphtrno6eoI65OX/view?usp=sharing Get in touch on X, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram @Trapped_PodFor more info on the campaign for justice for IPPs: visit UNGRIPP: www.ungripp.com / @UNGRIPPand IPP Committee in Action www.ippcommitteeinaction.com / @ActionIPPContributors in order of appearance:Madison, IPP prisoner on licenceNicole, IPP prisoner on licenceEmma McClure, Consultant Solicitor with SL5 Legal @Parole_Lawyer@mastadon.worldAndrew Sperling, Solicitor-Advocate and Managing Director of SL5 Legal www.SL5Legal.co.uk / @AndrewSperlingProduction credits:Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumaduExecutive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzgProducer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERSConsultant: Hank RossiA Zinc Media Production for the Institute of Now

What's life like for IPP prisoners on licence? Mark Conway and Andrew Morris both describe it as ‘walking on eggshells’. Mark Conway intervened in the terror attack at London Bridge in 2019, tackling Usman Khan who was subsequently shot dead by armed police. Mark's first call was to his parole officer because he was worried he might get recalled to prison for breaching his licence conditions. Andrew Morris says he is frustrated at the lack of will to end the needless deaths of IPPs, one being his friend ‘Danny’ whose death Andrew describes as "inexcusable and unforgivable." Both Mark and Andrew say they are some of the 'lucky ones' as they have survived a sentence which has broken so many others.  Sam also speaks to criminologist Sophie Ellis about the prisoner / psychologist relationship and her complicated feelings about having been part of administering the IPP sentence.Get in touch on X, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram @Trapped_PodFor more info about UNGRIPP visit: www.ungripp.com / @UNGRIPPContributors in order of appearance:Mark Conway, IPP prisoner on licence Andrew Morris, IPP prisoner on licenceSophie Ellis, Criminologist and Ph.D. researcher at Cambridge University @Psych_SEllisLord Daniel Moylan @danielmgmoylan Voices in Archive:Alex Chalk KC MPSir Bob Neill MPABC News - Citizens take down terrorist on London BridgeCredits:Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumaduExecutive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzgProducer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERSConsultant: Hank RossiA Zinc Media Production for the Institute of Now

How IH fought and won the legal appeal against his DPP sentence.IH is one of the few people who has successfully appealed against his DPP sentence. DPP stands for ‘Detention for Public Protection’, it works just like IPPs, but it was given to people who were under the age of 18 at the time of their conviction. IH served a DPP sentence for 16 years before he won his appeal. He was represented by Farrhat Arshad at Doughty Street Chambers. Today Sam meets IH and Farrhat to talk about fighting and winning his appeal, and the growing impediments that prison lawyers are facing in doing this kind of work.Meanwhile, following an initiative run by IPP campaigners to gain support for their cause from the UN, in September 2023 Dr Alice Edwards, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, released a statement saying she had written to the UK government condemning the IPP sentence, saying "for many, these sentences have become cruel, inhuman and degrading." With rising awareness about this miscarriage of justice, pressure continues to grow on the government to take further action on IPPs. Get in touch with the Trapped team on X, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram @Trapped_PodFor more info about the campaign for IPP justice, visit: www.ungripp.com | @UNGRIPPContributors in order of appearance:'IH', former DPP PrisonerLord Daniel Moylan, Conservative Peer @danielmoylan.comFarrhat Arshad, Barrister, Doughty Street Chambers | @DoughtyStCrime | https://www.doughtystreet.co.uk/barristers/farrhat-arshadProduction Team:Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumaduExecutive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzgProducer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERSConsultant: Hank RossiArtwork: The BrightsideA Zinc Media production for the Institute of Now

Bernadette and Abdulahi's story, plus Sam explores mental health treatment for IPPs and the now controversial Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway.Sam travels to Cardiff to meet Bernadette, whose husband Abdulahi received an IPP sentence in 2005. His original tariff was two years and he has been recalled back to prison four times. Abdulahi was born in Somalia and moved to the UK as a child. He is diagnosed with bipolar disorder and his mental health has deteriorated since being in prison and because of the anxiety-inducing uncertainty of his IPP sentence. Sam also gets a call from an IPP serving prisoner we are calling Mitch. He was released in 2018 after 11 years and was recalled back to prison the same year for breaching licence conditions. We also hear from James Daly MP, prison and parole solicitor, Dean Kingham and Senior Lecturer in law at the University of York, Ailbe O’Louhglin, who explains the history of the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway, which is now considered controversial amongst many psychologists and psychiatrists.Get in touch with the team on X, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram @Trapped_PodFor more info about the campaign to end IPP sentences visit UNGRIPP: www.ungripp.com / @UNGRIPPContributors in order of appearance:Bernadette Emmerson, wife of Abdulahi, an IPP serving prisoner 'Mitch', IPP serving prisoner James Daly MPDean Kingham, Prison and Parole SolicitorGraham Towl, Professor of forensic psychology at Durham UniversityAilbe O’Louhglin, Senior Lecturer in law at the University of YorkDr Jo Shingler, Forensic Psychologist Shirley Debono, IPP Committee in ActionVoices in Archive:Alex Chalk KC MPCredits:Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumaduExecutive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzgProducer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERSConsultant: Hank RossiArtwork: The BrightsideA Zinc Media production for the Institute of Now

Donna and Tommy’s story and why so many IPP serving prisoners have taken their own lives.Tommy Nicol was serving an IPP sentence for robbery and when his tariff expired and he still wasn’t released from prison, he took his own life. Tommy is just one of many: the total number of IPP serving prisoners who had taken their own lives by the end of 2022 was 81. Today Sam investigates the human stories behind these stark statistics. Sam visits the ‘SoulsINQUEST’ exhibition in Brixton’s 198 Gallery to speak to INQUEST’s Director, Deborah Coles and look at their exhibition highlighting state violence, death, grief and resistance. It includes a tribute to Tommy, written by his sister Donna Mooney, and a photograph of a bike which signifies ‘the wheel of pain’. After Tommy's death, Donna became involved in setting up the campaigning organisation UNGRIPP, the ‘United Group for the Reform of IPPs'. Sam also meets Sir Bob Neil to talk about the evidence gathered by the Justice Select Committee’s IPP report on self-harm and suicide. And we hear Labour’s John McDonnell raise the issue in parliament: they both highlight how IPP sentences create a sense of hopelessness, pushing many serving them over the edge. Lord David Blunkett, the architect of the IPP sentence, is posed a hard-hitting question by a former IPP prisoner. This episode is dedicated to the memory of the men and women who have taken their own lives whilst serving IPP sentences. Get in touch on Twitter, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram @Trapped_Pod For more info about UNGRIPP visit: www.ungripp.com / @UNGRIPP For more information about INQUEST visit: www.inquest.org.uk / @INQUEST_ORG Contributors in order of appearance: Donna Mooney, IPP campaigner and sister of Tommy NicolDeborah Coles, Director of Inquest @DebatINQUESTSir Bob Neil MP @neill_bobGraham Towl @ProfGrahamTowlLord David Blunkett @LordBlunkett Voices in archive:John McDonnell MP Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumaduExecutive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzgProducer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERSConsultant: Hank Rossi

Roddy and Robert Russell’s story, plus Sam explores why IPP serving prisoners are finding it so hard to get released by the parole board.Roddy Russell first found out what an IPP sentence was in 2011 when his brother, Robert didn't come home after serving 2-and-a-half-year tariff for a threat to kill. The brothers grew up in the Forest of Dean – and Roddy left as soon as he was old enough for a career in the RAF, whilst Robert went down a different path and has been in prison for the last 14 years, serving an indefinite imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentence. Today Roddy travels back to the Forest of Dean to meet Robert's friends and former co-workers as he takes on his latest battle to help get his brother released.To understand why IPPs are finding it so hard to get released by the parole board, Sam meets the lawyer Andrew Sperling and former prison officer Sam Samworth. Samworth, who explains what prison life is like for people serving IPP sentences and how vulnerable they are. Hank Rossi of the Institute of Now and Richard Garside, Director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, discuss the barriers that prisoners face when approaching a parole review. It’s a Catch-22 says Garside, the problems IPPs face get reproduced over time with no obvious way out.Finally, Sam and Hank travel to Bristol to meet Stafford Lightman, a Professor of Medicine. He describes how the brain responds to stress and how indefinite detention exacerbates its effects for both IPP prisoners and their family members. Get in touch on Twitter, Tik Tok or Instagram @Trapped_Pod Listen to our BBC Radio 4 doc, featuring Roddy and Robert on the IPP sentence: 'Tapped in the System' here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001l267 Contributors in order of appearance:Roddy Russell, IPP campaigner and brother of IPP serving prisoner, Robert @1roddyRussellAndrew Sperling, Lawyer and parole specialist, director of SL5 Legal. @AndrewSperlingGraham Towl, Professor of forensic psychology at Durham University, former Chief Psychologist at the Ministry of Justice @ProfGrahamTowlBryn Williams, former employer of Robert RussellHank Rossi, The Institute of NowAndrew Mapps, friend of Robert RussellNick Ballard, friend of Robert RussellDan Nelmes, friend of Robert RussellSam Samworth, former prison officer and Author @NeilSamworthClara White, sister of IPP serving prisoner Thomas WhiteRichard Garside, Centre for Crime and Justice Studies @RichardJGarsideStafford Lightman, Professor of Medicine, University of BristolReporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumaduExecutive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzgProducer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERSConsultant: Hank RossiArtwork: BrightsideA Zinc Media Production for The Institute of Now

Shirley and Shaun’s story, plus Sam digs into the history of the IPP sentence, what has made it such a failure?Shirley Debono has been campaigning against IPPs (Imprisonment for Public Protection) for many years. Her son Shaun Lloyd received an IPP sentence in 2005 for a street robbery of a mobile phone. He is one of the first people to receive an indeterminate IPP sentence and he’s been trapped in a cycle of recalls to prison ever since. We join Shirley as she travels to the HQ of the parole board in London to try and confront the CEO, Martin Jones, about delays to her son’s parole review.To understand where IPPs came from, Sam digs into the history of the sentence, which came into existence in 2005. She meets its architect, Lord David Blunkett. He regrets introducing the IPP sentence under New Labour’s conviction to be ‘tough on crime’ and he now campaigns against it. Sam also meets the Conservative Peer, Lord Ken Clark who abolished the sentence in 2012, but not retrospectively, leaving thousands still trapped in prison. Lord Blunkett blames judges for misapplying this legislation, so Sam seeks out a response from two former judges, Nick Cooke and Lord Simon Brown, a former Supreme Court judge, who has become an icon in the fight for IPP justice.Get in touch on Twitter, TikTok or Instagram @Trapped_Pod For more info about the Campaign for Justice for IPPs prisoners: UNGRIPP www.ungripp.com/ Twitter @UNGRIPPContributors in order of appearance:Shirley Debono, mother of Shaun Lloyd and IPP campaignerLord David Blunkett, Labour PeerHarry Annison, Criminologist, Southampton Law SchoolLord Ken Clark, Conservative Peer.Nick Cooke, retired Judge(The Late) Lord Simon Brown, Former Law Lord and Justice of the Supreme Court 2009 - 2012Milo Boyd, JournalistRichard Garside, Centre for Crime and Justice Studies @CrimeandJusticeVoices in Archive:Sir Tony BlairProduction Team:Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumaduExecutive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzgProducer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERSConsultant: Hank RossiArtwork: BrightsideA Zinc Media Production for The Institute of Now