Key facts
- Three prisoners have received whole life orders for the murder of a child killer.
- Whole life orders mandate that the prisoner will never be released.
- Approximately 100 whole life orders have been issued in the UK since 1983.
- Over 70 prisoners are currently serving whole life sentences in England and Wales.
- Historically, Home Secretaries could impose whole life orders, though judicial bodies now decide.
Three prisoners have been handed whole life orders for the murder of a child killer inmate, meaning they will never be released from prison. The introduction of the whole-life order system in the UK in 1983 initially allowed government ministers to set these sentences, but since a 2002 appeal, only judicial bodies can impose them. These orders signify that a prisoner will serve life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
Approximately 100 whole-life orders have been issued since 1983, with some sentences reduced on appeal. As of 2023, over 70 prisoners were believed to be serving whole-life sentences in England and Wales. These include notorious criminals such as serial murderer Rosemary West and the premature baby serial killer Lucy Letby.
Several prisoners have challenged the legality of whole-life sentences, with some success. For instance, Jeremy Bamber and Gary Vinter's challenge to the European Court of Human Rights was successful, leading to a ruling that sentences must be reviewed within 25 years. Ministers retain the power to release prisoners on compassionate grounds, typically for incapacitation, serious illness, or great age.
Historically, Home Secretaries imposed these orders. Between 1983 and 2002, at least 23 murderers received such sentences. Douglas Hogg, a former Junior Home Office Minister, admitted to setting 600 tariffs between 1986 and 1989. Notable cases include John Thomas Straffen, Britain's longest-serving prisoner who died in 2007 after 55 years for murdering three girls, and Ian Duncan Brady, one of the Moors murderers. Other infamous individuals serving life sentences include Stephen Port, Christopher Halliwell, Peter Tobin, John Cooper, Dale Cregan, Joanna Dennehy, Steve Wright, Michael Adebolajo, Levi Bellfield, Anthony Russell, and Khairi Saadallah. Currently, 11 inmates are serving entire life sentences imposed directly by a Home Secretary, such as John Childs, an East End gangster, and Robert Maudsley, known for his dangerous reputation.