UK says whole life sentences to stay in heinous murder cases

London: British judges can continue to impose “whole life” prison sentences in the most heinous cases of murder, the court of appeal has ruled.

The appeal judges confirmed that a European court of human rights ruling last year that such whole life sentences needed to be reviewed after 25 years does not prevent murderers being sent to prison for the rest of their lives in the most serious cases.

The ruling increases the 40-year sentence on Ian McLoughlin, the murderer of Graham Buck, to a whole life prison term after an appeal by the attorney-general, Dominic Grieve, that it was unduly lenient.

The appeal court also dismissed a challenge in a second case brought by killer Lee Newell against his whole life order for the murder of Subhan Anwar.

The attorney-general said he was pleased that the appeal court had confirmed that those who commit the most heinous crimes could be sent to prison for the rest of their lives.

“As someone who has killed three times, Ian McLoughlin committed just such a crime, and following today’s judgement he has received the sentence that crime required.

“I asked the court of appeal to look again at McLoughlin’s original sentence because I did not think that the European court of human rights had said anything which prevented our courts from handing down whole life terms in the most serious cases.

“The court of appeal has agreed with me and today’s judgement gives the clarity our judges need when they are considering sentencing cases like this in the future.”