zwiebel
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A really important battle has been going on between the European Court of Human Rights and the UK judicial system, which has been resolved today.
A July ruling at the Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg meant that 52 of the UK's most 'heinous' killers could have been automatically entitled to a review of their sentences after 25 years, with the possibility of parole. That would include serial killers such as the Yorkshire Ripper, Ian Brady and Rosemary West.
The ruling had also prevented judges from passing 'whole life tariffs' on other killers, such as those who hacked British soldier Lee Rigby to death in a London street, after running him down.
The Strasbourg Court said English whole life sentences without the possibility of release breached offenders' human rights. However, five judges at England's Court of Appeal said that was wrong. They upheld the right of judges in England and Wales to jail very serious offenders for the whole of their lives.
Lord Chief Justice Thomas said some crimes were 'so heinous' judges could continue passing whole life sentences 'entirely compatibly' with the Convention on Human Rights.
The Court of Appeal also increased the 40 year sentence of the triple killer Ian McLoughlin who originally appealed to the Strasbourg Court, saying the orginal judge was in error when he thought he couldn't pass a whole life sentence.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26236225
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...s-ruled-legal-by-court-of-appeal-9135538.html
A July ruling at the Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg meant that 52 of the UK's most 'heinous' killers could have been automatically entitled to a review of their sentences after 25 years, with the possibility of parole. That would include serial killers such as the Yorkshire Ripper, Ian Brady and Rosemary West.
The ruling had also prevented judges from passing 'whole life tariffs' on other killers, such as those who hacked British soldier Lee Rigby to death in a London street, after running him down.
The Strasbourg Court said English whole life sentences without the possibility of release breached offenders' human rights. However, five judges at England's Court of Appeal said that was wrong. They upheld the right of judges in England and Wales to jail very serious offenders for the whole of their lives.
Lord Chief Justice Thomas said some crimes were 'so heinous' judges could continue passing whole life sentences 'entirely compatibly' with the Convention on Human Rights.
The Court of Appeal also increased the 40 year sentence of the triple killer Ian McLoughlin who originally appealed to the Strasbourg Court, saying the orginal judge was in error when he thought he couldn't pass a whole life sentence.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26236225
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...s-ruled-legal-by-court-of-appeal-9135538.html