§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will carry out the recommendations made by Judge Stephen Tumim in respect of Yvonne Sleightholme; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythResponsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 6 December 1994:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the recommendations made by Judge Stephen Tumin 135W in respect of Yvonne Sleightholme in the report of his short inspection of Durham in September 1992.Miss Sleightholme was convicted of the murder of her former fiance's wife and sentenced to life imprisonment in May 1991. She had an unsuccessful appeal against her conviction in January 1992. She is currently serving her sentence on the female wing of Durham prison. Following her arrest Miss Sleightholme became blind and in his report Judge Tumim commented on the justification for holding her at Durham and suggested that a transfer to Askham Grange open prison in York would make visiting easier for her elderly parents.As a life sentence prisoner Miss Sleightholme will not be considered for a transfer to an open prison until her first formal review by the Parole Board. This review is not until September 1997 when she will have been detained for seven years. It will then be the Parole's duty to decide what risk she presents to the public and whether she is suitable to be transferred to an open prison. This decision will be based on the reports submitted on Miss Sleightholme during her time in prison, written by staff who will have been able to assess her risk over a prolonged period through a series of interviews, review boards and outside activities.Despite Miss Sleightholme's blindness there is certainly no prospect of her being moved to an open prison in the foreseeable future. While it could be argued that it is unlikely that a blind person would be able to escape, even from an open prison, Miss Sleightholme is known to have many supporters who believe she is innocent and it is conceivable that they could assist her. I also understand that there remains considerable animosity towards Miss Sleightholme within the victim's community. As far as her own safety is concerned, it would therefore probably not be in her best136W
Police Expenditure and Strength since 1980 £thousands Force Expend 1978–79 Strength 1978–79 Expend 1979–1980 Strength 1979–80 Expend 1980–81 Strength 1980–81 Expend 1981–82 Strength 1981–82 Avon and Somerset 26,266 2,825 33,984 2,892 40,187 2,953 48,099 3,011 Bedfordshire 9,298 902 12,087 943 14,537 961 16,909 984 Cambridgeshire 10,183 1,064 13,556 1,081 15,370 1,091 18,088 1,131 Cheshire 16,130 1,778 20,242 1,789 25,839 1,839 29,724 1,847 City of London 10,405 829 12,528 840 15,747 846 17,739 855 Cleveland 12,589 1,334 13,453 1,420 19,098 1,478 23,188 1,474 Cumbria 9,310 1,056 13,071 1,093 15,013 1,108 17,014 1,121 Derbyshire 16,635 1,563 20,825 1,793 25,747 1,821 29,429 1,776 Devon and Cornwall 25,313 2,660 36,158 2,651 39,566 2,720 46,539 2,713 Dorset 10,706 1,128 15,024 1,154 16,908 1,169 19,323 1,166 Durham 12,805 1,312 16,464 1,324 18,689 1,334 20,870 1,342 Dyfed-Powys 7,615 910 10,016 926 11,698 932 13,709 920 Essex 21,554 2,461 30,034 2,567 36,413 2,596 41,825 2,631 Gloucestershire 9,073 1,076 11,401 1,105 14,178 1,123 16,267 1,129 Greater Manchester 61,431 6,419 78,914 6,713 94,541 6,929 111,678 6,957 Gwent 8,511 965 10,971 967 12,826 972 15,014 964 Hampshire 27,361 2,949 36,187 3,039 40,580 3,052 48,798 3,062 Hertfordshire 14,747 1,462 18,564 1,487 21,859 1,534 25,497 1,559 Humberside 18,177 1,849 23,293 1,917 27,780 1,954 32,384 1,947 Kent 27,048 2,724 34,910 2,863 41,732 2,862 48,830 2,862 Lancashire 27,482 3,097 37,289 3,100 43,544 3,154 50,924 3,152 Leicestershire 15,652 1,701 20,444 1,702 22,886 1,717 27,538 1,728 Lincolnshire 11,870 1,171 14,803 1,176 16,964 1,179 19,972 1,179 Merseyside 41,306 4,427 56,102 4,525 65,823 4,597 78,120 4,631 Norfolk 11,194 1,223 14,187 1,249 16,709 1,246 19,904 1,268 Northamptonshire 8,976 905 11,279 920 13,588 982 15,991 1,006 Northumbria 30,694 3,272 39,727 3,317 45,341 3,339 53,492 3,329 North Wales 11,672 1,268 15,362 1,275 17,233 1,293 20,060 1,286 North Yorkshire 12,544 1,342 17,066 1,352 19,586 1.355 22,685 1.354 Nottinghamshire 19,811 2,117 29,020 2,145 29,644 2,241 35,953 2,252 South Wales 26,219 2,936 35,086 3,056 41,527 3,065 49,634 3,103 South Yorkshire 24,470 2,546 32,134 2,704 38,511 2,865 44,973 2,868 Staffordshire 18,328 1,978 22,955 2,051 27,887 2,096 32,304 2,086 Suffolk 11,060 1,064 13,952 1,130 16,643 1,119 19,478 1,120 Surrey 14,249 1,440 18,534 1,512 21,785 1,586 25,481 1,587 Sussex 25,153 2,758 33,118 2,782 37,572 2,820 43,746 2,829 Thames Valley 27,646 2,639 35,967 2,802 43,458 3,093 50,747 3,098 Warwickshire 7,839 841 10,427 895 12,599 915 14,957 922 West Mercia 16,478 1,743 21,812 1,847 25,626 1,925 31,058 1,926
interests to be moved to an open prison close to her home area so soon after the offence was committed.Durham continues to be the most appropriate establishment for Miss Sleightholme not because of the security of the prison but because of the more enclosed and protective environment it offers. Durham provides safer surroundings for a blind person and. Miss Sleightholme is receiving professional training in mobility and rehabilitation. It also has prison staff with the training and experience to help a life sentence prisoner through the early stages of their sentence.Miss Sleightholme has been offered the opportunity to be transferred to New Hall prison near Wakefield to be closer to her home area. However, she remains reluctant to go there as she feels the establishment is too dispersed. She has asked to remain at Durham until the Parole Board have recommended her transfer to open prison and will have the opportunity to extend her mobility training outside the prison as her review approaches.