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Jail terms of 20+ years ‘quadruple’ in England and Wales over past decade

The number of people sentenced to more than 20 years in prison has quadrupled over the last decade, figures have shown.

Given the increase in average tariff lengths handed down by courts, this figure is expected to continue to rise substantially over coming years.

The findings come as the Ministry of Justice announces plans to build more prisons to house the growing number of longterm inmates. They also follow a public outcry over the murder of Sarah Everard, whose killer Wayne Couzens has been given a full-life tariff.

Figures obtained by the Prison Reform Trust from parliamentary questions and government figures show 10,988 prisoners were serving 10 years or more on 31 December 2020.

Growing numbers have also received long determinate sentences of 20 years or more. In 2019, 124 people were sentenced to custody for 20+ years excluding life sentences, up from 31 a decade earlier.

Meanwhile, the rate and number of violent offences resulting in injury have fallen and remain historically low. Between 2009 and 2019 the incidence of violent crimes that resulted in injury, as reported in the Crime Survey for England and Wales, fell 44%, from 22 in every 1,000 adults to 13 in every 1,000. Despite some fluctuation, the number of sexual assaults remains broadly similar to a decade ago.

Dr David Maguire, director of the Prison Reform Trust’s Building Futures project, said: “Over the last decade sentences for more serious crimes have been getting longer, with many more people spending periods in prison which would have previously been unimaginable. The impact on both prison and probation services is significant and long-term, and meeting the challenges of this change will shape the landscape for years to come.”

The Home Office and Ministry of Justice are braced for an increase in prisoners, to 98,700 in 2026, after the targeted recruitment of 20,000 police officers in line with Boris Johnson’s election promise.

England and Wales already has the third highest prison population across Europe, behind Russia and Turkey, which dwarf it with their combined total of more than 800,000, according to the Council of Europe.

The figures came as the backlog of cases in the crown court rose yet again to record levels at 60,692, almost doubling in two years. Cases of rape and sexual offences make up about a 10th of the backlog.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “This government is making sure violent criminals and sex offenders spend longer in prison to keep people safe and give victims confidence that justice has been served. The 18,000 new prison places we are building will keep these dangerous people off the streets for longer.”

Last year, the government changed the law so those convicted of serious sexual and violent offences and given a standard determinate sentence of seven years or more would no longer be automatically released at the halfway point but would instead have to serve two-thirds of their sentence in prison.

The police, crime, sentencing and courts bill, which is currently before parliament, will end the halfway release of offenders sentenced to four to seven years in prison for serious violent and sexual offences such as rape, manslaughter and GBH with intent. They will also have to spend two-thirds of their time behind bars.

News

Presidential Spokesman Ajuri Ngelale Proceeds On Indefinite Leave Of Absence

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, has proceeded on an indefinite leave of absence.

Ngelale said the decision was taken after significant consultations with his family over the past days as a vexatious medical situation had worsened.

He made this known in a statement issued on Saturday to the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

“On Friday, I submitted a memo to the Chief of Staff to the President informing my office that I am proceeding on an indefinite leave of absence to frontally deal with medical matters presently affecting my immediate, nuclear family,” he said.

“While I fully appreciate that the ship of state waits for no man, this agonizing decision — entailing a pause of my functions as the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity and Official Spokesperson of the President; Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, and Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen — was taken after significant consultations with my family over the past several days as a vexatious medical situation has worsened at home.

“I look forward to returning to full-time national service when time, healing, and fate permit. I respectfully ask for some privacy for my family and I during this time.”

The leave of absence implies that he would temporarily suspend his duties as spokesperson to President Bola Tinubu

News

No tenure extension for IGP Egbetokun – Police

The Nigeria Police Force High Command has clarified the rumoured tenure extension for Inspector General of Police, Dr. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, stating that there was no extension granted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Instead, the law governing the tenure of the IGP’s office was properly applied.

This clarification was made in a statement released on Friday in Abuja by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Assistant Commissioner of Police, Olumuyiwa Adejobi.

The statement reads, “the attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to various misleading reports and misinterpretations concerning the tenure of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, and wishes to categorically state that what His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, approved for the IGP is not an extension of tenure, but rather the proper application of the law governing the tenure of the office of the IGP.

“Contrary to the misinformation being circulated on social media and in the news, an appointment letter in circulation was issued to the IGP shortly after his appointment was confirmed by the Police Council.

This letter, dated 3rd November 2023, clearly stated that the President had approved a four-year tenure for the IGP in accordance with the provisions of Section 215(a) and Section 28(c) of the Third Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

” It is important to emphasize that the IGP does not need to lobby for any tenure extension as his appointment letter explicitly grants him a four-year tenure from the date of his appointment

“The ongoing circulation of false information is clearly the handiwork of pessimists and mischief makers who are determined to spread baseless narratives against the office and the personality of the IGP for obvious reasons and pecuniary gains.

” Furthermore, the IGP has since been issued with another letter in accordance with the provisions of the Police Act, 2020 (as amended), which supersedes the earlier correspondence.

This clarification is necessary to put an end to the speculations and falsehoods being spread.

” We urge the public to disregard the unfounded reports and to trust that the tenure of the IGP is in full compliance with the laws governing the Nigeria Police Force.

In clear terms, IGP’s tenure of office is not subject to unnecessary debate and should not be a source of perennial distraction to policing system in Nigeria. The law is sacrosanct.”

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EFCC grabs 44 for internet fraud in Kwara

Forty-four (44) suspected internet fraudsters were arrested at different locations in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State on Friday by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Spokesperson for EFCC, Dele Oyewale said in a statement on Friday that the suspects were arrested by the operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.

“They were arrested on Friday September 6, 2024 at Sango, Kulende, Taxaco and Harmony Estate, all in Ilorin, following credible intelligence over their alleged involvement internet- related offences,” the EFCC spokesperson said.

He listed items recovered from the suspects to include six different brands of exotic cars, laptops, smart phones and charms.

The suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.

The Ilorin Directorate of the anti-graft agency had also arrested 56 suspected internet fraudsters two days ago.