‘He’s been punished enough’: Family’s plea for prisoner who set himself alight under indefinite jail term
Exclusive: On the day 1,800 released IPP prisoners will finally have their lifetime licence terminated, Thomas White is still fighting for a hospital bed as his mental health deteriorates
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A prisoner who set himself alight in his cell after serving 12 years for stealing a mobile phone under an indefinite jail term is still fighting to be moved to a hospital.
Thomas White has developed severe mental health problems in prison as he languishes under a since-abolished imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentence.
Earlier this year, the father of one set himself alight in his cell in desperation as he lost hope of ever being freed.
Two medical reports shared with The Independent this summer laid bare the toll of the devastating jail term on the prisoner, who suffers psychosis and religious delusions, as medics warned his “lengthy incarceration” was creating “impermeable barriers” to his recovery.
However, over two months later his heartbroken sister is still campaigning for him to be transferred to a hospital as he prepares to undergo yet another psychiatric assessment on Friday.
Clara White has begged the Ministry of Justice to move her brother to a hospital to get the care he needs amid fears that “it is only a matter of time” before he makes another attempt on his life.
She told The Independent his condition has deteriorated yet further as he refuses medication in prison and is now being dosed by injection, adding: “It’s criminal what the state has been doing to my brother and the poor families.
“If my brother is not transferred to a psychiatric hospital he will die in prison because he stopped taking his medication. I asked him why he stopped taking his medication and he broke down on the phone and said, ‘So that I get the courage to kill myself.’”
His assessment comes as 1,800 released IPP prisoners who have spent at least five years in the community are finally set to have their life-long licence conditions lifted on Friday, under reforms passed earlier this year.
Although welcomed by campaigners, the changes do nothing to help unreleased IPP prisoners like Thomas.
IPP jail terms were introduced under New Labour in 2005 and saw offenders given a minimum tariff but no maximum. They were scrapped in 2012 over human rights concerns but not for people already detained – leaving thousands languishing with no release date.
Of the 2,734 IPP prisoners still incarcerated, more than 700 have served more than 10 years longer than their minimum term. At least five IPP prisoners who were given minimum terms of less than six months have remained in jail for at least 16 years, according to the latest figures.
The sentences have been branded “psychological torture” by a UN human rights expert after at least 90 IPP prisoners have taken their own lives.
This month the country’s former head of judiciary, Lord Thomas, branded the jail terms “morally wrong” as he backed The Independent’s campaign for IPP prisoners to have their sentences reviewed.
Clara says her brother was a “healthy-minded” and “handsome” 27-year-old when he was handed an IPP sentence with a two-year tariff for robbery just four months before the sentences were outlawed.
He has been incarcerated for the majority of his 14-year-old son Kayden’s life, as his mental health has declined in prison.
“Thomas has served 11 years more than he should… don’t you think he’s been punished enough,” she said, adding that the “fingerprints” of IPP sentence will be all over Thomas for the rest of his life.
Under reforms to life-long licence conditions coming into to force on 1 November, 1,800 IPP offenders who were released at least five years ago will have their licences automatically terminated. This will be the first time they will have an end date to their sentence.
Further changes, coming in to force on 1 February next year, will reduce the mandatory licence period from 10 years to three, making a further 600 former offenders eligible to have their licences ended.
However the reforms do nothing to help those still languishing in prison with no release date, campaigners have warned.
A spokesman for campaign group UNGRIPP said: “We want these people to know that UNGRIPP, alongside many others, will continue the work we all do until the IPP is finally gone.”
Prisons minister Lord Timpson said: “It was absolutely right that the IPP sentence was abolished. It has left many ex-offenders subject to indefinite probation supervision long after turning their backs on crime.
“IPP offenders who have served their time in prison and lived safely in the community for years should not be subjected to a lifetime licence and today we have taken a significant step in addressing this.”
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week
If you are in another country, you can go to befrienders.org to find a helpline near you