Prisons crisis: ‘Horrific indictment’ of UK justice as thousands languish on indefinite jail terms, says UN torture expert
Thousands of prisoners languishing in prison indefinitely deserve “justice” and should be resentenced as a priority, the UN’s leading torture expert has said.
Speaking to Sky News, Alice Jill Edwards described sentences of imprisonment for public protection (IPP) as a “horrific indictment of the British justice system”.
PM suffers post-election poll slump – politics latest
IPP was introduced by Labour in 2005, allowing courts to impose prison sentences with no release date.
They were abolished by the coalition government in 2012, but the change was not applied retrospectively, meaning approximately 2,852 prisoners remain behind bars – including 1,227 who have never been released.
Ms Edwards, the UN’s special rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, called upon the new government to commit to a full or partial resentencing exercise for those still in jail.
It comes as Sir Keir Starmer’s administration grapples with an overcrowding crisis, forcing the activation of an emergency measure allowing defendants to be held in police cells for longer.
Ms Edwards said it was “unfortunate” recent measures taken – including letting prisoners out early – did not include those serving an IPP, which she has previously described as a form of “psychological torture”.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
What is an IPP sentence?
‘The only thing to satisfy the public’
Ms Edwards, who has written to the government over the issue, said she hoped Labour’s focus on reducing the prison population would mean there would be “changes substantive enough” to bring the IPP scandal to an end.
IPP was intended for violent and sexual offenders who posed a significant risk of serious harm to the public but whose crimes did not warrant a life term.
Although the aim was public protection, concerns grew that IPP sentences were being applied too broadly and catching more minor offenders, who often ended up serving years beyond the time they were supposed to serve.
Anyone on an IPP can only be released once they have served their tariff and the Parole Board has given its approval.
Ms Edwards said “the only thing that is going to satisfy the public” while also respecting the rights of IPP prisoners is undergoing “full or partial resentencing”.
The main argument used by the previous Conservative government against a resentencing exercise was it would put public protection at risk – but Ms Edwards said the government could “stagger” the task and that those indicted for the most serious crimes would not be released.
Read more:
Sister’s plea to prisons minister over brother’s jail sentence
Ministers using ‘misleading’ claims to justify indefinite detention
Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood ‘will consider the points raised’, the MoJ said
‘A terrible scandal’
Since 2005, 90 prisoners have taken their own lives in prison while serving an IPP sentence.
Ms Edwards also highlighted cases whereby those convicted of minor crimes, including stealing a mobile phone, remained held in prison more than a decade later.
She said such cases continuing years after the sentences were disbanded is a “terrible scandal” that had people “questioning the justice system”.
“It leads to people losing faith in the British justice system, and that is very worrying,” she warned.
“I would be the first to congratulate the government if they took swift action and delivered justice for these individuals.”
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said secretary of state Shabana Mahmood was “committed to working with organisations and campaign groups to ensure the appropriate course of action is taken to support those still serving rightfully abolished IPP sentences”.
“We will carefully consider the points raised and respond in full in due course,” they added.
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK
The government has vowed to push for a “major new crackdown” on people smuggling gangs with a £100m cash boost for border security.
The investment will support the pilot of the new “one in, one out” returns agreement between the UK and France, and other efforts to crack down on small boat crossings.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said this new funding will “strengthen” the government’s “serious and comprehensive plan” to dismantle the business model of criminal gangs smuggling migrants across the Channel.
But the Conservatives have claimed the cash injection will make “no real difference”, with shadow home secretary Chris Philp branding the move a Labour “gimmick” and a “desperate grab for headlines”.
The funding will pay for up to 300 new National Crime Agency (NCA) officials, “state-of-the art” detection technology and new equipment to “smash the networks putting lives at risk in the Channel”, ministers say.
It will also allow the Border Security Command, the NCA, the police and other law enforcement agency partners to “strengthen investigations targeting smuggling kingpins and disrupt their operations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and beyond”.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
July: 25,000 migrants have crossed Channel
The new investment comes as official figures show more than 25,000 people have arrived on small boats so far in 2025 – a record for this point in the year.
Ms Cooper said: “In the last 12 months, we have set the foundations for this new and much stronger law enforcement approach – establishing the new Border Security Command, strengthening the National Crime Agency and UK police operations, increasing Immigration Enforcement, introducing new counter terror style powers in our Border Security Bill, and establishing cooperation agreements with Europol and other countries.
“Now this additional funding will strengthen every aspect of our plan, and will turbo-charge the ability of our law enforcement agencies to track the gangs and bring them down, working with our partners overseas, and using state-of-the-art technology and equipment.
“Alongside our new agreements with France, this will help us drive forward our Plan for Change commitments to protect the UK’s border security and restore order to our immigration system.”
Read more UK news:
Inside prison doing family visits differently
UK’s most wanted man on run for 20 years
Couple relive watching hours of riot chaos
The £100m investment will also support new powers to be introduced when the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill becomes law, the Home Office said.
This includes the introduction of a UK-wide offence to criminalise the creation and publication of online material that promotes a breach of immigration law, such as the advertisement of small boat crossings on social media.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
July: Hundreds gather for protest outside ‘migrant’ hotel
Research suggests about 80% of migrants arriving to the UK by small boat used internet platforms during their journey – including to contact agents linked to smuggling gangs.
While it is already illegal to assist illegal immigration, ministers hope the creation of a new offence will give police more powers and disrupt business models.
Mr Philp accused the Labour government of having “no serious plan, just excuses, while ruthless criminal gangs flood our borders with illegal immigrants”.
He said: “The British public deserves real action, not empty slogans and tinkering at the edges.”
Efforts to bring Gazan children to the UK for urgent medical treatment are set to be accelerated under new government plans.
Under the scheme, reportedly set to be announced within weeks, more injured and sick children will be treated by specialists in the NHS “where that is the best option for their care”.
It has been suggested that up to 300 children could arrive in the UK from Gaza.
A parent or guardian will accompany each child, as well as siblings if necessary, and the Home Office will carry out biometric and security checks before travel, the Sunday Times has reported.
It is understood this will happen “in parallel” with an initiative by Project Pure Hope, a group set up to bring sick and injured Gazan children to the UK privately for treatment.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
A 15-year-old boy from Gaza brought to the UK for urgent medical treatment this week has told Sky News of his joy and relief. Majd lost part of his face as well as his entire jaw and all his teeth in a tank shell explosion.
A government spokesperson said: “We are taking forward plans to evacuate more children from Gaza who require urgent medical care, including bringing them to the UK for specialist treatment where that is the best option for their care.”
More than 50,000 children are estimated to have been killed or injured in Gaza since October 2023, according to Unicef.
So far, three children have arrived in the UK for medical treatment with the help of the charity Project Pure Hope.
Around 5,000 have been evacuated in total, with the majority going to Egypt and Gulf countries.
Sir Keir Starmer said last week that the UK was “urgently accelerating” efforts to bring children over for treatment.
The government has also pledged another £1m to help the World Health Organisation in Egypt provide medical support to evacuated Gazans.
The prime minister told the Mirror: “I know the British people are sickened by what is happening.
“The images of starvation and desperation in Gaza are utterly horrifying. We are urgently accelerating efforts to evacuate children from Gaza who need critical medical assistance – bringing more Palestinian children to the UK for specialist medical treatment.”
Read more UK news:
Inside prison doing family visits differently
UK’s most wanted man on run for 20 years
Couple relive watching hours of riot chaos
Around 100 MPs have signed a letter urging the government to fast track the scheme.
Labour MP Stella Creasy, who co-ordinated the letter, said: “The commitment we all share to help these children remains absolute and urgent – with every day, more are harmed or die, making the need to overcome any barriers to increasing the support we give them imperative.
“We stand ready to support whatever it takes to make this happen and ask for your urgent response.”
Meanwhile, Project Pure Hope has been campaigning for months to create a scheme which would allow for the evacuation of 30 to 50 children.
The charity has raised the money to bring the children and their families to the UK, and cover their medical costs, privately.
Crypto tokens have failed retail investors through insider concentration and poor design. Regulation and tokenized real-world assets offer hope for revival.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike