Theresa and Josh’s story. Today we hear from Theresa, whose son Josh has been serving an IPP sentence since he was 18. Josh was sentenced to an IPP in 2008 for GBH, he’s now 34. When Sam meets Theresa in May 2024, Josh is still recovering from his recent set-back with the parole board. Theresa has shared an open letter from Josh in prison, written to alert the outside world of his crisis.We also catch up with Roddy Russell who was featured in Episode 4: A Catch 22 and who has now had the first visit in 4 ½ years with his brother Robert, who is serving an IPP at HMP Swaleside, Roddy doesn’t recognise his brother at first. Roddy also meets the Right Reverend Rachel Treweek, the Bishop of Gloucester, whose diocese covers the Forest of Dean, where Roddy and Robert grew up. Roddy is keen to raise Robert’s plight with Bishop Rachel as she sits in the House of Lords as the Bishop for Prisons. Bishop Rachel wants to see the end of the historic IPP sentences and she has since met Robert in prison to pray with him. Despite the welcome amendment to the Victim’s and Prisoners Act 2024, which has shortened the license period for IPP prisoners in the community from 10 to 3 years, for the IPP prisoners like Josh who are trapped inside on this indeterminate sentence, it doesn’t help them at all. Against the background of the prison crisis making headlines, a group of leading campaigners send an open letter to the new Labour Government to act quickly on IPPs. Roddy Russell is amongst those who travel to London to hand-deliver the letter to the Ministry of Justice. We hear from Roddy and his fellow campaigners outside of the MOJ as they reflect on the appointment of James Timpson as Minister of State for Prisons, Parole and Probation. Will he and the Labour Government finally put an end to the IPP scandal? Josh has a message for Timpson and the other politicians: ‘imagine I was your son, please help me. I'm begging you.’Get in touch on X, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram | @Trapped_PodTrapped Substack: https://trappedpodcast.substack.com/For more info about the IPP campaign visit UNGRIPP | www.ungripp.com | @UNGRIPP | IPP Committee In Action @ActionIpp Contributors in order of appearance: Theresa, mother of IPP serving prisoner Josh Mcrae Roddy Russell, brother of IPP serving prisoner Robert RussellThe Rt Revd Rachel Treweek, Bishop of Gloucester and Anglican Bishop for HM PrisonsMarc Conway, IPP prisoner on licenseAndrew Morris, IPP prisoner on license Richard Garside, The Centre for Crime and Justice StudiesVoices in Archive:James Timpson, Minister of State for Prisons, Parole and ProbationCredits: Reporter: Samantha Asumadu | @SamanthaAsumadu Executive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald | @Melissafitzg Producer: Steve Langridge | @SMLANGERS Consultant: Hank Rossi An Ear Worm Production for the Institute of Now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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32:31
Prison Crisis: The Chief Inspector of Probation, Martin Jones CBE Speaks...
Today’s episode is an exclusive interview with Martin Jones CBE, who was appointed His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Probation in March 2024. Prior to that, he was Chief Executive of the Parole Board from 2015.Sam meets Martin Jones at the MOJ building, 102 Petty France, Westminster in July 2024 to discuss the IPP scandal in the shadow of the looming prisons crisis. It had been a big week for criminal justice: the new Justice Minister, Shabana Mahmood had just announced she was dealing with the crisis by allowing the early release of prisoners on standard determinate sentences after serving 40% of their sentences in custody. However, Martin tells Sam that 97% of probation areas are falling short of expectations, an extraordinary figure which starkly highlights a system that is not only in crisis, but has spectacularly failed. Martin’s message to the new government is that they need to invest in an already struggling probation service. The system is broken everywhere and there are no quick fixes. And he says he hopes the new government will “look again” at IPP sentences, which are “hugely costly, hugely burdensome for the system”.Get in touch on X, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram | @Trapped_PodTrapped Substack: https://trappedpodcast.substack.com/ For more info about the IPP campaign visit UNGRIPP | www.ungripp.com | @UNGRIPP | And the IPP Committee In Action @ActionIppContributors in order of appearance:Martin Jones CBE, HM Chief Inspector of Probation | @jones_martinwVoices in Archive:Shabana Mahmood, Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor | @ShabanaMahmoodCredits:Reporter: Samantha Asumadu | @SamanthaAsumaduExecutive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald | @melissafitzgProducer: Steve Langridge | @SMLANGERSConsultant: Hank RossiAn Ear Worm Production for the Institute of Now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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40:10
Recall: The Daily Mail Test
Rob and Sara’s story. Sam investigates the impact of recall on IPP prisoners in the community. Change is finally coming - how will it affect them? Rob was given an IPP sentence in 2008 and he’s been recalled back to prison 4 times since then. His partner Sara is a campaigner with UNGRIPP, The United Group for Reform of IPP: they met through the work she was doing. Sam meets them in Manchester in May 2024, just as the Victim’s and Prisoner’s Bill is making its way towards a conclusion in Parliament. This bill is bringing in significant reforms to the way that IPP prisoner’s licenses work. The IPP license period will be changed from 10 to 3 years for termination with a sunset clause which means that if the license is not terminated at the direction of the Parole Board after 3 years, it will be automatically terminated after a further two years. This will have a direct impact on Rob and other IPP prisoners on license in the community, like him. But behind the headlines are real stories about real people, so Sam is keen to find out how prisoners on license like Rob are coping. She also speaks to the prison lawyers Emma McClure and Andrew Sperling and Dr Alice Edwards the UK Special Rapporteur to get their takes on the recall ‘merry-go-round'. Get in touch on X, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram @Trapped_Pod For more info about UNGRIPP visit: www.ungripp.com / @UNGRIPP Trapped Substack: https://trappedpodcast.substack.com/ Contributors in order of appearance: Rob Dutton, IPP prisoner on license Sara Ramsden, Rob’s partner and campaigner Emma McClure, Prison Law Solicitor Andrew Sperling, Solicitor Advocate @AndrewSperling Dr. Alice Edwards, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture @DrAliceJEdwards Credits: Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumadu Executive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzg Producer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERS Consultant: Hank Rossi A Zinc Media Production for the Institute of Now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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37:42
A Perfect Storm
Mary and Martin Myer’s story. We also hear from two people who head up their unions, working with IPP prisoners on the front line: the prison officers and prisoner governors.Martin Myers comes from an Irish Traveller family. They’re a minority group in the UK, often discriminated against. On the 8th March 2006, Martin was given an IPP sentence with a tariff of 19 months and 27 days. Apart from one stint of freedom for 10 weeks towards the end of 2023, he’s been locked away in prison. Today Sam meets Mary, Martin’s mother, to hear their story.In 2006 Martin received his IPP sentence after he approached a young man in Luton, where he lived, and asked him for a cigarette. The man made a derogatory comment about travellers. Martin threatened to punch the young man if he didn’t give him the cigarette, the man ran away and reported Martin Myers to the police, saying he was carrying a small ‘spud’ knife.Sam also meets Mark Fairhurst, National chair of the Prison Officers Association and Tom Wheatley, the newly appointed President of the Prison Governors Association. They discuss the underfunded and under-resourced prison system, prison conditions, mental health provisions for IPP prisoners and the aftermath of self-inflicted deaths. They both have strong words for the government with the general election on the horizon. Finally she hears how the campaign continues to fight for resentencing IPP prisoners, as Richard Garside from the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies explains. Please be advised that this episode contains references to self-harm and suicide.Get in touch on X, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram @Trapped_PodFor more info about UNGRIPP visit: www.ungripp.com / @UNGRIPPThanks to The Howard League for Penal Reform @TheHowardLeagueContributors in order of appearance:Mary Myers, Mother of serving IPP prisoner Martin MyersAnn McMaster, friend and support worker to Mary MyersMark Fairhurst, National chair of the Prison Officers Association Tom Wheatley, President of the Prison Governors Association | @PGA_PrisonsRichard Garside, Director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies | @richardjgarsideVoices in Archive:Sir Bob Neil, former chair of the Justice Select Committee | @neill_bobCredits:Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumaduExecutive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzgProducer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERSConsultant: Hank RossiA Zinc Media Production for the Institute of Now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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36:13
Torture Sentences
Wayne Bell’s story, plus Sam speaks to Dr Alice Edwards, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture about her intervention in the campaign for IPP justice. Today Sam travels to Manchester to speak to Alana Bell, whose brother Wayne Bell was sentenced to an IPP sentence with a 2 year tariff in 2007 for assaulting someone and stealing their bike. He was 17. Wayne is now 34: he’s spent his entire adult life in prison. Like many other IPP prisoners, Wayne didn't know what an IPP sentence was until he was knocked back at parole. He then made efforts at completing offender behaviour programmes when available, enrolled in a mechanics course, went to the gym. After a parole hearing in 2015, by which point he had been in prison 6 years past his original tariff, he was again knocked back. His health and behaviour deteriorated. On 12 April 2018, Wayne was found in a catatonic state in his cell: conscious but unresponsive. He was transferred to a secure mental health hospital where, once a week, he was given electroconvulsive therapy, a treatment for schizophrenia that felt like another form of punishment. We hear about of the awful toll his IPP sentence has taken on Wayne and his family, who currently don't know which prison he is in. Sam also speaks to Dr. Alice Edwards, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. In 2023, a group of IPP campaigners, prisoners, and their families, submitted evidence via the UN's website of sustained human rights breaches as part of the IPP sentence: they got Dr Edward’s attention, and she started looking into the IPP scandal in the UK. In August 2023 Dr Edwards wrote a letter to the British Government calling on "Your Excellency’s Government to conduct a re-sentencing exercise for all remaining IPP-sentenced individuals - and provide them with access to adequate reparation, as appropriate - without delay. We also call on the Government, in the meantime, to step up efforts to secure rehabilitation opportunities for all those affected.” She has also called the IPP sentence “psychological torture”. What has happened since her intervention? Campaigners have warned that reforms are a matter of life and death for IPP prisoners after almost 90 suicides. Are the British government listening?You can read Dr Edward's letter to the British Government here: https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=28329 Get in touch with the Trapped team on X, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram @Trapped_Pod For more info about the IPP campaign for justice, visit UNGRIPP www.ungripp.com / @UNGRIPP / IPP Committee in Action @ActionIpp Contributors in order of appearance: Alana Bell, Sister of IPP prisoner, Wayne Bell Dr. Alice Edwards, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture @DrAliceJEdwards Production credits: Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumadu Executive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzg Producer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERS Consultant: Hank Rossi A Zinc Media Production for the Institute of Now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast series charting the #IPP prisoner scandal. Listen on #Acast #ApplePodcasts #Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Today there are nearly 3,000 people trapped in British prisons on the now abolished indeterminate IPP (Imprisonment for Public Protection) sentence, many for minor crimes like stealing a mobile phone. None of them know when they are getting out, or whether their IPP sentence could mean life in prison. To date, 87 IPP serving prisoners, with a lack of certainty and losing hope, have taken their own lives. The IPP has been called a ‘stain on the British justice system’ and ‘psychological torture’. But most people have never heard of it…In this ‘tragically brilliant’ and hard hitting multi-part podcast series, the investigative reporter Sam Asumadu is digging deep into the plight of prisoners serving IPPs, and their families, to find out what has gone wrong with this sentence and to shine a light into the dark corners of the IPP story. Featuring contributions from prisoners serving IPP sentences, their families, campaigners, criminologists, psychologists, journalists, lawyers, retired judges, MPs and Peers.Get in touch on X, TikTok and Instagram @Trapped_podTrapped Substack: https://trappedpodcast.substack.com/ If you want to do something, you can tell a friend to listen to this series: knowledge is power and the more who know, the harder it is for injustice to take place. If you want to do something more active, you can write to your MP and tell them to raise questions about prisoners serving IPPs in parliament.Search the hashtag #IPPScandal on social media for more info.For more information about the Campaign for IPP Justice: visit UNGRIPP www.ungripp.com/ | @UNGRIPP and IPP Committee in Action www.ippcommitteeinaction.com/ | @ActionIppReporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumaduExecutive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzgProducer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERSConsultant: Hank RossiA Zinc Media Group / Ear Worm Production for The Institute of Now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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