Crime

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsA father trapped under an abolished indefinite jail term has made six attempts on his own life after serving 25 times longer than his original sentence, The Independent can reveal.James Lawrence was handed a discredited imprisonment for public protection (IPP) jail sentence with an eight-month minimum term in 2006 for threatening someone with a starting pistol.Then aged 20, he told the court he was carrying the imitation 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 over-tariff IPP prisoners, having spent nearly 18 years in custody.But The Independent has learned Labour is to turn its back on him – and almost 3,000 other IPP prisoners still languishing in cells – by rejecting a review of indefinite jail terms.IPP prisoner James Lawrence has served almost 18 years for what was an eight-month jail term More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseAs your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn’t have the resources to challenge those in power.Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November electionAndrew FeinbergWhite House CorrespondentA former Labour councillor has denied encouraging violence while addressing a crowd during an anti-fascist protest in Walthamstow.Ricky Jones, 57, allegedly committed the offence during a speech to a gathering, organised in response to the nationwide violent disorder, in Hoe Street, Walthamstow, on 7 August.A video was shared on social media in which he appeared to call for far-right protesters’ throats to be “cut”. The suspended politician was charged by police with encouraging violent disorder two days later.Jones, who was remanded in custody after his last court appearance, appeared on a videolink from HMP Wormwood Scrubs to Snaresbrook Crown Court. He pleaded not guilty.During a previous hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, deputy senior district judge Tan Ikram said: “It is alleged that using a microphone you addressed a crowd at an anti-fascist protest and, talking about others you described as ‘disgusting Nazi fascists’, you said ‘we need to cut their throats and get rid of them’.”Defence barrister Hossein Zahir KC said Jones accepted the words had been spoken but denied knowing the offence of violent disorder would be committed.District judge Oscar Del Fabbro ordered the defendant to produce a defence statement by October 25, and set a provisional trial date of January 20 next year at the same court.Jones, who has been a councillor in Dartford, Kent, since 2019, was suspended by the Labour Party.In reference to the video, a Labour spokesperson said: “This behaviour is completely unacceptable and it will not be tolerated.” More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorFar-right riots have pushed Britain’s prisons to breaking point as the government triggers emergency measures to ease overcrowding.Experts fear hard-won capacity gained by releasing prisoners early has “rapidly evaporated” after at least 677 suspected rioters were charged following widespread disorder.In Merseyside – where clashes first erupted following the killing of three schoolgirls last month – there were rumoured to be just two prison spaces left at the weekend after rioters were hauled before the courts in fast-tracked hearings.It is the latest crisis to hit the creaking criminal justice system.Stuart Nolan, chair of the criminal law committee at the Law Society, said the riots were the “straw that broke the camel’s back”.“When you have got a chronic situation all you need is an acute issue and the whole thing starts to be a little bit troubling,” he told The Independent.At least 460 people had appeared in magistrates’ courts in relation to the disorder by late last week. Nationwide, there were only 340 places left in the male estate after 397 new receptions, chair of the Prison Officers’ Association, Mark Fairhurst, said.Riots first erupted in Southport in the wake of a mass stabbing at a children’s dance class More

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsA protester has hurled objects at Nigel Farage during a campaign trail in South Yorkshire. The Reform UK leader was waving at supporters from the top of his party’s battle bus in Barnsley town centre on Tuesday when the incident occurred. Mr Farage said he believed the objects were some wet cement from a work site followed by a coffee cup. He narrowly missed the objects. Mr Farage said he believes the objects were some wet cement and a a coffee cup More

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsA police chief has admitted officers cannot solve knife crime alone as criminals turn to social media to peddle weapons despite a clampdown on sales.The national lead for policing knife crime Commander Stephen Clayman said officers are tackling the “symptoms” but they do not have the “cure” for an epidemic of offences.His comments came as the Home Office announced a £4m funding boost, including investment in new knife detection technology, ahead of a week of police action.In a candid admission, Commander Clayman said: “Like all emergency services, we are dealing with the symptoms but, while the cure is something we are involved in, we are clearly not going to be the ones that ultimately solve this. Because it’s going to be a joint effort through us, policing partners, government.”Have you been affected by knife crime? Email amy-clare.martin@independent.co.ukCommander Clayman said tackling knife crime will be a long-term project requiring “generational change” which needs to be evidence-led, addressing complex societal issues including deprivation and lack of opportunity.Official figures show that knife crime rose by 7 per cent in the year to December 2023 with 49,489 offences recorded, but it has not yet reached pre-pandemic levels. In London, the number of offences soared by 22 per cent with more than 14,000 recorded in the year to September 2023.Separate figures show eight in 10 teenage homicide victims were killed with a knife in the year to March 2023, compared to seven in 10 in the previous year.Elianne Andam was stabbed to death on her way to school last year More

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsRwandan genocide suspects are still living freely in Britain, 30 years after the massacre which killed 800,000 people, amid “inexplicable” delays to a UK police probe into the allegations. MPs and the Rwandan authorities have called on the Metropolitan Police – which launched an investigation six years ago – to hurry up and decide whether they can bring a case against the five men, who settled in the UK in the aftermath of the 1994 genocide.The five suspects, who have lived in the UK for decades, deny any involvement with the atrocities and have never faced trial to answer horrific allegations. One of the men is accused of helping to lead attacks in a village where 40,000 Tutsis were said to have died.British High Court judges have so far refused Rwanda’s extradition pleas over fears the men would not face a fair trial in their home country.But officials in Kigali have called for a trial in the UK instead, with Britain accused of “lagging behind” other nations in ensuring those suspected answer to allegations. France and Belgium are among the countries that have already held trials for a number of accused.Campaigners and politicians have now urged the government to ensure “justice is done”, amid fears time is running out for the suspects to answer to the allegations, and as the country marks the 30th anniversary of the start of the Genocide Against the Tutsi, which took place between 7 April and 15 July 1994.It comes as Rishi Sunak battles to push through his controversial Rwanda deportation plan, which, if passed, would see asylum seekers who arrive illegally in the UK sent to the east African country. They are currently not allowed to be sent there as Rwanda is not seen as safe.Reporter Amy-Clare Martin approaches suspect Celestin Mutabaruka in 2019 More

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsPolice are investigating a suspected arson attack at the office of a Conservative MP.Officers were called to a fire at the north London constituency office of Mike Freer at about 7pm on Christmas Eve, with the London Fire Brigade also on the scene. The Met said the fire happened in a shed at the MP’s office at Ballards Lane in Finchley.The Finchley and Golders Green MP has represented the constituency since 2010 and is parliamentary under-secretary at the Ministry of Justice.Mr Freer said the rear of the building is damaged. He said the response from police and the fire brigade was excellent and that they were on site in minutes.“The police are still investigating and checking out CCTV footage. Until the suspects are caught we won’t know the motivation. Luckily no-one was in the office at the time,” he added.In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said that there were no reports of any injuries.“The cause of the fire is under investigation as it is believed it may have been started deliberately. “Further inquiries will take place,” a Met spokesman said. More

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails A protester who threw glitter over Sir Keir Starmer during his Labour Party conference speech has been identified. Yaz Ashmawi wore a T-shirt with the words “People Demand […] More