- Thomas White, who has served almost 14 years under an indefinite Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentence for stealing a mobile phone, is set to be returned to prison after only six months of hospital care.
- His family, led by his sister Pastor Clara White, is desperately appealing to Justice Secretary David Lammy to halt the transfer, fearing his mental health will rapidly decline without a release date.
- White was moved to a secure hospital unit last year after suffering severe mental health crises in prison, including setting himself alight, with clinicians now planning his return to custody.
- Medical reports indicate White suffers from learning difficulties, complex trauma, ADHD and a personality disorder, with his lengthy incarceration cited as a barrier to recovery.
- The case highlights the ongoing issues with IPP sentences, abolished in 2012 but not retrospectively, which still affect nearly 2,400 individuals, many of whom have developed profound mental health problems.
IN FULL
