Manchester’s most notorious murderers may have a chance of parole after a European court accused Britain of violating the human rights of prisoners serving full life sentences yesterday.
The news gives a glimmer of hope to Mancunian killers John Maden, jailed for life for the rape and murder of his niece in 2010 in Cheetham Hill, Ian Brady who killed five children with Myra Hindley in the 1960s, and police-killer Dale Cregan – the latest to be handed the ‘life’ sentence.
Three prolific British killers, who were jailed for life after murdering 11 people between them, were given inhuman and degrading treatment, according to the European Court of Human Rights and claimed there had to be both a possibility of release and a possibility of review.
The European court took pity on the rights of Jeremy Bamber, Peter Moore and Douglas Vinter, three of the 49 prisoners serving whole life sentences for their heinous crimes.
David Cameron has expressed outrage at the ruling as a spokesman said in a statement the prime minister was ‘very, very disappointed.’
“He profoundly disagrees with the court’s ruling. He is a strong supporter of whole life tariffs,” the spokesman said.
Cameron may join others in his Conservative Party in calling for Britain to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights altogether.
The court said Tuesday’s ruling did not mean the murderers should be released imminently but rather that it was up to the British authorities to decide when to review their cases.
The European Court’s decision comes as a huge blow to Labour politician David Blunkett who was home secretary in 2003 when Britain scrapped rules that ensured all life sentences were reviewed after 25 years.
“In 2003 we changed the law so that ‘life’ really meant life when sentencing those who had committed the most heinous crimes,” he said in a statement.
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