by A father jailed for an indefinite term has tried to take his own life after serving 25 hours longer than his original sentence, The Independent can be revealed.
James Lawrence was jailed for at least eight months in 2006 for threatening someone with a pistol.
Then aged 20, he told the court he was carrying the fake gun for protection after nearly losing his life in a stabbing in the same part of Southampton the year before.
Now 38, he is believed to be one of Britain’s longest-serving IPP prisoners, having spent almost 18 years in custody.
But The Independent Labor has learned it is going to backfire – with nearly 3,000 more IPP prisoners still languishing in cells – by rejecting a review of indefinite prison terms.
IPP sentencing was ended in 2012 amid human rights concerns, but not those already in detention.
“During his time, he saw murderers come in and murderers go home,” said James’ heartbroken mother Mandy Lawrence The Independent.
“It’s a pain for his family, not to mention him. I keep thinking, will I see it properly before I die? I was in my forties when he joined and now I’m in my sixties. It’s heartwarming, to be honest.”
At the time of his sentence, less time already served on parole, Mr Lawrence had to spend a further four months and 14 days in prison before completing his minimum eight-month term. He was also given a concurrent 10-month sentence for assault in a separate drunken pub fight, which has long since expired.
A growing number of campaigners – including Lord Blunkett, who was home secretary at the time IPPs were introduced – have called on them to leave, and families say it will be “unacceptable” if they refuse.
The Independent Ministry of Justice sources understand that a sentence is not being considered as a result of concerns about the release of some dangerous prisoners.
However, Labor peer Lord Woodley, who tabled a bill earlier this month for all IPP prisoners to be sentenced, insists “everything is to play for”.
“Ministers are still not on the same page regarding the sentencing exercise proposed in my private member’s bill,” he told this publication. “But they are determined to end the IPP sentencing scandal once and for all. So he has everything to play for.”
He said Mr Lawrence’s case was “settled” and he hoped his bill would help get him and similar prisoners out of prison.
Of the 2,734 IPP prisoners still in, over 700 have served more than 10 years beyond their minimum tariff.
These include a string of injustices highlighted by The Independent like those of Thomas White, who went on fire after serving more than 12 years for stealing a mobile phone, and Abdullahi Suleman, who spent 19 years behind bars for stealing a laptop.
At least 90 IPP prisoners have committed their own lives in prison as they lose hope of being released.
Ms Lawrence revealed that her son, once a talented footballer, has fallen into the recall suffered by many IPP prisoners, who can be hauled back to prison for minor breaches of strict license conditions.
In the past twenty years, he has been returned to prison five times and is still in there despite not having had any further convictions.
According to paperwork seen by The Independentonce, Mr. Lawrence was recalled two months after his release because he returned to his bail press two hours and five minutes after curfew.
Another time, he ran away for six months to be with his pregnant partner on the birth of her daughter.
The stress forced Ms Lawrence, 65, who lives near Winchester, to retire early from her job as an NHS mental health nurse. In the meantime, her parents did not live to see their grandson imprisoned.
“It broke my father’s heart to be fair, because even though James was a bit of a scallywag, as he called him, he loved him,” Miss Lawrence said.
“James is not a bad person, he was very kind and polite, he rose from nowhere. He was a brilliant footballer and he went to an excellent school and it all fell apart and nobody could do anything.
“I blamed myself for years. And then you worry about the times he’s trying to kill himself, will he try again?”
She said Mr Lawrence had made numerous attempts on his own life, including two this year alone. Once, he did not eat or drink for five days and was found collapsed in his cell.
The mother called on the government to urgently release all remaining IPP prisoners, starting with those on the lowest base tariff.
She said: “I think so [resentencing] Prisoners on a particularly low tariff should be sentenced and work their way through the longer-serving prisoners.
“But no, they’re not interested. I think it’s because they think they’re going to try to get compensation from the government – and they deserve it.”
In 2022, the justice select committee issued recommendations to the then Conservative government to pardon all IPP prisoners, but this was rejected. Earlier this year, they agreed to reduce the license period for released IPP prisoners from 10 years to three.
Lord Woodley said: “This is a terrible situation; one among many disturbing situations. I welcome the recent steps taken by the law and justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood, to reduce the risk of unnecessary prison repeals, which will help those, like James, in the future.
“But we need to get those IPP prisoners who are still languishing in prison, for years after the time decided by their trial judge, out of prison. My sentencing bill will help achieve this.”
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “It is right that IPP sentences should be ended. The Chancellor is committed to working with organizations and campaign groups to ensure that appropriate action is taken to support those still serving IPP sentences.
“The Prison Service continues to provide additional support to those still in custody, including improving access to rehabilitation programs and mental health support.”
If you are feeling distressed, or struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, confidentially, on 116 123 (UK and Republic of Ireland), email jo@samaritans.orgor visit the Samaritans website for details of your nearest branch. If you are located in the US, and you or someone you know is currently in need of mental health help, call 988 or email 988lifeline.org to access an online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free confidential crisis hotline 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
