Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent

‘It’s bittersweet’: MoJ sentencing changes will bring freedom for some

Prisoners walking outside between areas of the jail
The changes announced on Tuesday will not affect those now in jail – 1,269 of whom have never been released on licence, with another 1,652 having previously been released on licence but then recalled to jail. Photograph: Mark Harvey/Alamy

A man who is set to have his indefinite licence period terminated under changes to a much-maligned scheme has said it will give him back his freedom but expressed sympathy for those stuck in jail who will not benefit.

Marc Conway, 43, received an imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentence with a minimum term of five and a half years for armed robbery, but served just over eight years before being released on licence. Last month marked five years since he was released on licence, meaning he will be eligible to have his sentence immediately terminated under the changes, which allow for this to happen after three years in the community if the Parole Board agrees (down from 10 years), or five years at the latest.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.