May 2019 / Issue No
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“Education is the best Postcards from prison “They now look forward route to a brighter future.” A showcase of some of the to seeing me and are even the National Newspaper for Prisoners & Detainees Rachel Billington celebrates winning artwork of the PET eating spinach out of my with Outside/Inside graduates ‘Paint-a-Postcard Competition’ hand!” Jenny Greengrass a voice for prisoners since Comment // page 16 Information // page 35 Comment // page 24 May 2019 / Issue No. 239 / www.insidetime.org / A ‘not for profit’ publication/ ISSN 1743-7342 THERAPY LOOKING GLASS 26 // SCOTTISH FOCUS 28 // LOOKING UP 30 // INSIDE RAP 47 An average of 60,000 copies distributed monthly Independently verified by the Audit Bureau of Circulations ‘COMPLETELY UNSATISFACTORY’ Labour MP slams IPP sentences, highlighting the case of Manchester man imprisoned aged 17 for bike robbery still in prison 12 years later who has ‘given up’ Inside Time report in custody for the purpose of retribution and deterrence) of four years. But 12 years later, MP for Withington south Bell is still in prison with little Manchester Jeff Smith (below) prospect of release any time 17 has attacked the iniquity of soon. the now abolished Imprison- ment for Public Protection sentences (IPPs) and has Outstanding educator! agreed to support the family ”I knew I’d be where I was needed, with people who had hit rock bottom” of Wayne Bell, who received The then Justice Secretary Stephen Rogers (pictured above with former PET Chair Alexandra Marks (right) and an IPP in March 2007. “This Ken Clarke MP (above), who Worshipful Company of Educators Chair Jennie Somerville) teaches Functional Skills example highlights that IPPs abolished the sentence, once English at high-security HMP Whitemoor. Last month he received the first Outstanding were completely unsatisfac- described prisons in England Prison Educator award from the Worshipful Company of Educators, having been named tory”. Bell was just 17 when he and Wales as “overcrowded the ‘winner of winners’ out of last years’ Prisoner Learning Alliance award recipients. assaulted another boy in a The discredited sentence was slums” - and told the BBC that park and stole his bike. He introduced by s.225 of the it was “absurd” to keep pris- had a number of relatively Criminal Justice Act 2003 oners in jail beyond their orig- petty previous offences, but (with effect from 2005) by the inal terms. He said the IPP ‘Irredeemably flawed’ the judge decided that for the then Home Secretary, David sentence was “a stain” on the bike theft he should receive Blunkett (above). It was abol- justice system - adding that he Outgoing Chief Inspector of Probation the indeterminate sentence of ished in 2012 by the Coalition believed there was a “ludi- effectively 99 years, with a government thanks to a Euro- crous amount of incarceration says service ‘has been diminished’ tariff, (the period to be served pean Court ruling that in this country.” claimed it violated human Inside Time report companies called Community rights. Blunkett has since ex- “It is quite absurd that there Rehabilitation Companies pressed “regret” about the are people who might be there (CRCs), is “irredeemably In her final annual report be- impact of the sentence. “I’m for the rest of their lives, in flawed”. She says the proba- fore stepping down as proba- to blame for IPP,” he said in theory, who are serving a sen- tion profession has been di- tion inspector, Dame Glenys an interview in 2017, “And we tence which Parliament minished with a national Stacey (left) says the current would do it differently now. If agreed to get rid of because it shortage of qualified profes- model, created by Chris Gray- I had my time again, I would hadn’t worked as anybody “Eight out of ten CRCs sionals and there has been too ling, in which he split the ser- have ensured from the begin- intended.” inspected this year re- much reliance on unqualified vice between a public National ning that the IPP could only ceived the lowest possi- agency staff. be applied for people with ble rating ‘Inadequate’” Probation Service (NPS) and very substantial tariffs.” Wayne Bell’s story page 24 a plethora of private Exclusive interview page 20 MICHAEL PURDON SOLICITOR CALL US: 0191 232 1006 SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED AN EXPERT VISIT: purdonlaw.co.uk PAROLE - RECALL LONDON: 7 New Square, PRE-TARIFF REVIEWS Lincolns Inn, London, WC2C 3QS (BY APPOINTMENT ONLY) CAT A REVIEWS-TARIFF REVIEWS NEWCASTLE: Wards Buildings, NATIONWIDE SERVICE 31-39 High Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, Founding members, serving for 3 years as Chair and Deputy Chair of the Association Tyne and Wear NE1 1EW of Prison Lawyers 2 Mailbag ‘Mailbag’, Inside Time, Botley Mills, Botley, Southampton SO30 2GB. Insidetime May 2019 CCRC / SCCRC all the same? insidetime Choke Mailbites a voice for prisoners since 1990 Chris Readings - HMP Glenochil the beast OMU less than useless the national newspaper for prisoners published by When will prisoners in all corners of the United Kingdom re- J Kingscott - Name supplied - HMP Gartree Inside Time Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of alise that making submissions to either the CCRC or the Scot- HMP Dartmoor The New Bridge Foundation, founded in 1956 to tish SCCRC is a futile and pointless paper exercise keeping The OMU here has made many mistakes in my create links between the offender and the community. inept and uncaring people in jobs? They’re not interested in Dartmoor prison operates parole dossier. I asked for someone, ie helping prisoners receive any form of justice that helps the Inside Time is wholly responsible for its editorial constant lock-ups which create offender supervisor to come and see me, to go prisoner either by quashing a conviction entirely or by reduc- content. Comments or complaints should be dangerous reclusive prisoners through my parole papers so I can show them directed to the publisher and not to New Bridge. ing a sentence. This has been apparent and proved many the mistakes they have made. But true to form, times over and yet again this week. with an anti-establishment outlook, hence the revolv- they have said they don’t have the time to go Board of Directors through the parole dossier with me. This is Take the case of Paul Cleland as featured on the news this ing-door problems of prison. Trevor Grove Former Editor Sunday Telegraph, how bad OMU is here. So yet again I have week 11/03/2019. His solicitor has secured a judicial review of been let down by the OMU. I’m up for parole Journalist, Writer and former Magistrate. the decision by the CCRC over a submission made to them for The only way to break the Dr Peter Bennett Trustee, New Bridge in June and I’ve been in 21 years on a 15 year an appeal they refused. The submission was over a gun used cycle of prisons making mil- Foundation and former Governor of HMP Grendon tariff. OMU has told me to get a solicitor but to help convict him and he has served 25 years for a crime he lions of pounds out of re- Geoff Hughes Former Governor of HMP Belmarsh why do I need one as I’m capable of showing has always denied committing. It now transpires that the turning prisoners is for all John D Roberts Former Company Chairman and mistakes that I have highlighted with a pen. gun could not have been the one used to convict him, yet the prisoners to refuse to work Managing Director employing former prisoners How will a solicitor help with this? Louise Shorter CEO Inside Justice and former CCRC contest the judicial review why? or do their pathetic courses. producer BBC Rough Justice Thus, cutting the supply of Alistair H E Smith BSc FCA Chartered Accountant, Take my case. I have proof I was not even in this country at government cash to the cor- Stop pushing me Trustee and Treasurer, New Bridge Foundation the time of my alleged offence yet the SCCRC won’t refer my rupt institutions, so ending J Howard - HMP Moorland case back to court. Why? The standard response from the the revolving door. More out- I am a happy go lucky type of guy, unfortunate The insideteam CCRC and the SCCRC is one of two answers to submissions, of-cell time is essential to they are, either ‘not arguable’ or ‘not in the public interest’. enough to find myself in this place. I understand prisoners mental health and this is a testosterone-filled atmosphere, there well-being. Ask yourselves, how many people do you know who have are guys who have spent years in here and a submitted paperwork to the CCRC / SCCRC only to have a re- few more to go. There are more guys spending There is also a policy here to sponse of ‘not arguable’ or ‘not in the public interest’. How time on gym equipment than reading a book. try to force prisoners to work many people on the other hand have had their cases referred I’m not a big guy, not musclebound, but I have and do courses so the prison Erwin James John Roberts Rachel back to the courts? Very, very few. The official figure is less weight behind me, for some reason they feel Editor in Chief Publisher Billington OBE than 3% yet when you look at both the CCRC / SCCRC records can make a profit out of the need to push me into fighting. Pulling and Director Associate Editor they themselves produce the actual number of cases referred them. But fixed sentence pranks on me and not being able to take it back to the court is 1%.