Tragic homicide of dad-of three triggers change in legislation for jail officers
Vile criminals who murder off-duty or former police, prison or probation officers will face spending the rest of their life in jail.
Under tough new laws, offenders will face the punishment even if the victim is off duty or no longer serving to stop evil killers’ revenge attack after an officer is no longer serving.
Killers who target prison or police officers serving in the line of duty already receive a whole life order starting point. But the strengthened laws will add probation officers and cases where the killer’s motivation is linked to the victim’s role, even if the officer was not serving at the time of the attack.
A gap in the law was thrown into the spotlight after the murder of former prison officer Lenny Scott last year. Armed robber Elias Morgan shot the dad-of-three in Lancashire because he had seized a phone from his cell years earlier. But Morgan did not receive a whole life order because Scott had left the prison service two years before.
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Justice Secretary David Lammy told MPs: “This Government is clear that perpetrators of heinous killings like these must feel the full force of the law…
“This means offenders can expect to spend the rest of their lives behind bars. It is the latest step this Government is taking to keep our hardworking prison and probation staff safe.”
The Ministry of Justice said it is today bringing in amendments to the Sentencing Bill, which will be debated in the House of Lords in the new year. The changes mean that any murder connected to an officer’s current or former duties will be subject to a Whole Life Order – meaning they face spending the rest of their life behind bars.
The widow of police officer Andrew Harper, who was killed by three teenagers in 2019, successfully campaigned for “Harper’s Law” to give mandatory life sentences to the killers of emergency service workers. It became law in 2022.
Lissie, who previously said she was “outraged” by the sentences handed to the three teenagers responsible, received an MBE for her campaigning work in 2022. PC Harper was dragged to his death by a getaway car when he attended reports of a quad bike theft.
The newlywed’s shift had been due to end four hours before the call and he was due to begin his honeymoon.
When a judge passes a life sentence, they must specify the minimum term an offender must spend in prison before becoming eligible to apply for parole, according to the Crown Prosecution Service. The offender will be released only once they have served the minimum term.
A whole life order’ This sentence means that the offender must spend the rest of their life in prison.
