Four more prisoners serving indefinite jail terms described as “psychological torture” have taken their own lives in Britain’s prisons, The Independent can reveal, taking the total number of self-inflicted deaths to 94.
Experts have described the crisis as a “scandal that is being hidden in plain sight” and an “industrial-scale miscarriage of justice”, as prisoners trapped under abolished Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) jail terms continue to take their own lives.
A further 37 released IPP prisoners took their own lives in the five years to April 2024, according to government figures, as many struggle with strict licence conditions which leave them in constant fear of recall.
On 9 February 2024 a prisoner serving an IPP sentence died at the Category C HMP Warren Hill in Suffolk, according to records obtained by The Independent via a freedom of information request. Another self-inflicted death took place at the high-security HMP Frankland in Durham the following month.
On 29 June, a man on an IPP sentence died at HMP Swaleside – a medium-security prison in Kent where 14 men died in the two years to August 2024.
A fourth self-inflicted death was recorded on 29 October at HMP Wymott, in Lancashire. In 2023 inspectors warned that accommodation there was cramped and “beyond repair”.
Nine IPP prisoners took their own lives in 2023, the highest annual total on record, including Sean Davies, who wrote in a suicide note that he had taken his life because her saw “no chance of being released” from his IPP jail term.
The architect of the flawed sentence, David Blunkett, described the latest loss of life as a “terrible tragedy” which should focus minds on action to help IPP prisoners.
He admits he regrets introducing the open-ended jail terms when he was home secretary under Tony Blair in 2005. They were abolished in 2012 due to human rights concerns, but not retrospectively, leaving thousands languishing without release dates, including for minor crimes, until the Parole Board says they are safe for release.
Cases highlighted in The Independent include that of Leroy Douglas, who has served almost 20 years for stealing a mobile phone; Thomas White, 42, who set himself alight in his cell and has served 13 years for stealing a phone; James Lawrence, 38, who is still in prison 18 years after he was handed an eight-month jail term; and Abdullahi Suleman, 41, who is still inside 19 years after he was jailed for a laptop robbery.
Of 2,614 people still incarcerated on an IPP jail term, almost 700 have served at least 10 years longer than their original minimum term.
Successive governments have refused to re-sentence IPP prisoners, despite calls from the justice committee and the UN special rapporteur on torture amid high rates of suicide and self-harm.
Labour peer Lord Woodley, whose private member’s bill for IPP prisoners to be re-sentenced will not succeed without government support, said: “Ministers accept the importance of resolving the IPP scandal but there is still a lack of bravery and common decency, with the government refusing to consider a re-sentencing exercise – widely seen as the only effective way to resolve this industrial-scale miscarriage of justice.
“This is causing great harm to prisoners and their loved ones, and each devastating story reminds us why swift and decisive action is needed.”
The United Group for Reform of IPP, which has tracked each self-inflicted death in custody, said each death was “preventable” and would leave a family to face a “lifetime of pain”.
“All of these deaths would have been preventable if the government had summoned the fortitude to do what has been called for by so many people and organisations for many years,” a spokesperson added.
“If the current government finally put an end to IPP sentences they could prevent future deaths by those who have served their sentence many times over.”
Last year the prisons minister Lord Timpson said he was determined to support IPP prisoners but said the government would not consider a re-sentencing exercise which overrules the Parole Board as this would create an “unacceptable risk of harm”.
Instead, prisoners must work towards release through a refreshed IPP Action Plan, he said.
Lord Blunkett told The Independent that he is impressed with Lord Timpson’s determination to make progress, but added: “The terrible tragedy of lost life by long-serving IPP prisoners should focus everyone’s minds on action – both to safeguard and to speed up the potential release.”
Richard Garside, of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, said: “This is a scandal that is being hidden in plain sight. Ministers acknowledge the problem, but offer underpowered solutions that are not up to scratch.
“If we are to judge ministers by what they do, rather than what they say, we would have to conclude that they either don’t recognise the seriousness of the harm the IPP sentence is causing, or don’t care enough to resolve it.”
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “It is right that IPP sentences were abolished. With public protection as the number one priority, the lord chancellor is working with organisations and campaign groups to ensure appropriate action is taken to support those still serving these sentences, such as improved access to mental health support and rehabilitation programmes.”
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.