HC Deb 28 October 1971 vol 823 cc412-3W
Mr. Jeffrey Archer

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions since 1965 the Secretary of State has not accepted the recommendation of the Lord Chief Justice with regard to the release of life sentence prisoners convicted of murder or manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility; what, in each case, was the type of homicide committed, and how long each prisoner actually served; and how many of these prisoners have been convicted of further criminal offence since release, and how many of them have been recalled.

Mr. Maudling

There have been five such cases; in each case the crime was murder. The prisoners had served periods of detention of 14¾, 12, 10½—in two cases—and 9¼years. Since release only one has been convicted of any further offence. This did not involve any violence, but the Parole Board recommended his recall and my predecessor accepted the recommendation. But when the Parole Board considered the offender's representations it recommended his immediate release, and he was released as required by law.

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