This weekend brought news that the Conservative Government is intending to use the upcoming Queen’s Speech to introduce tougher sentences for the most appalling crimes. Good news!
Of course, we won’t get the details until the relevant Bill is published, but from what has been announced so far it would appear that murderers of children will never be released from prison and die behind bars. The killers will have whole life orders imposed on them by judges.
At the moment these sentences are available to judges, along with others, but it would seem that the announcement means that they will be imposed more frequently. Perhaps the sentencing guidelines will change, or maybe a new law will make such sentences mandatory. I understand that more details will be unveiled next week by Justice Secretary Robert Buckland.
Among the 60 or so killers currently serving a whole life sentence is serial killer Rose West and the “Suffolk Strangler” Steve Wright.
