[Impotent Rage]

Theresa May: murderers of police to receive whole-life jail sentences
Home secretary to reveal move towards tougher prison terms in address to Police Federation

Murderers of police officers are to be given whole-life sentences and be left to die in prison, the home secretary, Theresa May, is to reveal at the Police Federation conference.

May says it is time for "life to mean life" in such cases because murdering a police officer in the course of their duty represents an attack on the "fundamental basis of our society".

She will tell the Police Federation on Wednesday: "We ask police officers to keep us safe by confronting and stopping violent criminals for us. We ask them to take risks so that we don't have to. That is why I am clear that life should mean life for anyone convicted of killing a police officer."

The move by May, who was jeered and heckled when she addressed the Police Federation conference last year, is likely to come into effect within months, and to receive a warm welcome from rank-and-file police officers. It will also thrill Tory backbenchers and seal May's reputation as a hardline Conservative home secretary trying to put some steel into the party.

Twelve police officers have been killed while on duty since 2000.

The latest to die were two women police officers, Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone, who were killed during a gun and grenade attack when they responded to a routine burglary call last September in Manchester. Dale Creggan, aged 29, who has admitted murdering them, is yet to be sentenced as he is currently on trial for the separate killing of a father and son, which he denies.

Crown Prosecution Service guidelines currently reserve whole-life sentences for serial killers, child murderers or those who kill in the name of religion, politics or an idelogical cause.

The current starting point for the murder of a police or prison officer in the course of their duty is a life sentence with a minimum term of 30 years. David Bieber, who murdered PC Ian Broadhurst in December 2003, received a life sentence with a minimum of 37 years before he could be considered for parole.

Mustaf Jama, Yusuf Jama and Muzzaker Shah, the members of a criminal gang that shot dead PC Sharon Beshenivsky during a robbery in Bradford in 2005, were all given life sentences with a minimum term of 35 years.

The longest-serving police killer is Harry Roberts, who was imprisoned in 1966 for the murder of three police officers in Shepherd's Bush, in west London. He was sentenced to a minimum term of 30 years before he could apply for parole but he has so far served 46 years. The parole board last decided in 2009 that he remained a risk to the public after he made violent threats to the owners of an animal sanctuary where he was working on day release.

The whole-life sentence was introduced in 1983, when Michael Howard was home secretary. Since then, at least 63 murderers have been told they will not be released from jail, including 23 as a result of an executive decision. They include Ian Brady, Rosemary West and Harold Shipman.

The change is to be made by the justice secretary, Chris Grayling, who will make an order under the 2003 Criminal Justice Act to change the starting point for the murder of a police officer from 30 years to a whole-life order. Grayling is shortly to consult the sentencing council, which represents the judges, on the move.

May said earlier this week that she was looking forward to the conference: "It is always an interesting experience," she said.

I commend tougher sentencing for murderers, we're far too soft on serious crime in the UK.

After you murder a cop (and get caught), you no longer partake in society. Rehabilitation is out of the question.

[Impotent Rage]

I think whole life sentences should be used in far more than just the highest profile cases like Brady, West and Shipman. One that springs to mind is the Kriss Donald murderers. The ringleader (Baldy Shahid) has become notorious as a prison bully and nutter but we intend to let him back out on the streets in a few years!

Effective 'actual' life sentences are much more common when people are deemed criminally insane. I don't know about you lot but when I read about Stuart Hazell, sanity is not the impression I get.

I'm sure perfectly sane people commit murder from time to time but why are so many brutal, evil, twisted people given sentences that are "designed" for rehabilitation?

The American judiciary is at the exact opposite end of the spectrum, with actual life sentences for the likes of burglary followed by a $20 drug sale, stealing five bottles of Head and Shoulders shampoo or forging a drivers license. Not to mention capital punishment and life sentences for minors.

BTW, it was recently announced that prisoners in England and Wales will no longer be allowed access to satellite and cable TV services! Private prisons in Scotland still allow all sorts of luxuries. I've known a few ex-cons and they all say prison is quite a pleasant experience, as long as you don't end up in Barlinnie.

[kellyhound]

why we have to pay for murderers that stay their entire life in prison till they die and also i don't understand why cop killers get life time sentence while a scumbag like that baldy shahid gets released after a few years.
they all should get executed to save tax payers money.

[Impotent Rage]

Originally Posted by kellyhound ↗

why we have to pay for murderers that stay their entire life in prison till they die and also i don't understand why cop killers get life time sentence while a scumbag like that baldy shahid gets released after a few years.
they all should get executed to save tax payers money.

The cost is something that I grudge but I think in civilised society, we would be no better than them if we put them down like the animals they purport to be.

Furthermore, there is a punishment aspect to justice and I feel that "proper" incarceration without Xboxes and premium TV channels would be a greater punishment than the anticipation of death, be it imminent or not. Having said that, I am doubtful as to the state of mind some of these people have; I can only speak for myself in saying it would be a greater punishment.

So that leads on to their mental health, if they are mentally ill in such a way that they can't feel remorse then it's another good reason not to dispatch them. Even secular society has to recognise the sanctity of human life. Segregation from society is all you can reasonably do to them.

Also, if the death penalty was available and I was on a jury then I would have a problem with the standard of proof being "beyond reasonable doubt". I could only, in good conscience favour such a penalty if the standard of proof was somehow higher for such cases; perhaps some sort of "incontrovertible proof" but that's unrealistic and unworkable.

[Ozzman]

I don't understand, soldiers and cops are expected to be injured or possibly killed in the line of duty so civilians won't. Why is the punishment harsher for those who do kill them?

[turkiller]

it is a grave upset that someone that is risking their lives and trying to serve the community is murdered. But 333 people have died in police custody (so thats either in the station or after arrest) since 1998, thats 22 a year....

amount of officers convicted? none. for example 2012 a young 25 rugby player was threatened in his home with a gun...he phoned police and they mistook him the suspect and they decided to batter him with batons and boot him the chest with their steel inforced boots...they hand cuffed him and put his legs in restraints and literally 'tossed' him into the van....he said he had trouble breathing...they ignored him...they then put him face down in the cell still cuffed and still in the leg restraints....he died moments later of a collapsed lung. this guy was clean, no criminal record and liked in the community.

no justice served for him...no public mourning or big public concern about it...but a police officer dies...a diguisting double standard begins to appear.

[turkiller]

And who said a police officers life is more worth then my mothers? my doctors? or a teachers? will there be life sentences for policemen killing innocent civilianS? nope thought not.
and someone let the knee-jerk policy makers that 85,000 girls were raped last year.....give life sentences to those bastards watch it decrease...instead giving it to something happen once in a bluemoon...i love the slimeyness of these politicians ''fundemental basis of society'' my ass.

[Chaos6656]

good day does anyone have the audio recording of the Ian Broadhurst murder? I cant find a complete transcript anywhere.

[ices]

Originally Posted by Impotent Rage ↗

The cost is something that I grudge but I think in civilised society, we would be no better than them if we put them down like the animals they purport to be.

.

Bullshit.

We developed from a society that openly executed scum in the street, I dont see us extinct because of it.

People should be removed from the face of the Earth for killing innocents.