The family of a man who stole a bicycle as a teenager and is still in prison nearly 20 years later under an old law says they don’t know where he is.
Wayne Bell was jailed for robbery at the age of 17 and is still in prison at the age of 34. He was given a public protection sentence, which was quashed by the court.
His mother and sister told Manchester Evening News They have lost contact with him and don’t even know which prison he is in now.
Their father’s last wish, who was fighting a losing battle with cancer, was to speak to Bell one last time. However, this wish was not fulfilled, as he passed away in April 2020.
Wayne Bell was locked up for robbery at age 17 and is still incarcerated
Bell remains in prison at the age of 34 on a public protection sentence – which was abolished by the courts
According to his 33-year-old sister Alana Bell, the family hasn’t heard from him in more than two years and “they don’t even know if he’s alive.”
About 17 years ago, Bell beat a man and stole his bike in Manchester. He was convicted in 2007 and was one of the first convicts to receive a new type of sentence.
Prison sentences for public protection, introduced in 2005, were later abolished as “unfair”.
Those given such sentences were given the minimum sentences, but after serving a few years’ imprisonment they had to convince the Parole Board that they were safe enough to be released back into society.
However, they were not given access to rehabilitation courses to do this.
When he was a teenager, Bell played the trumpet and wanted to be a mechanic. But he started getting into trouble at school and was eventually expelled.
At the age of 17, Bell was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court. He was to serve four years before the Parole Board would consider releasing him. However, subsequent hearings found that he could not be treated safely.
So as time went by he lost hope of ever being released and started fighting behind bars. With each fight his chances of convincing the board became even smaller.
Speaking to MEN before his death, Bell’s father Carl said: ‘I honestly thought he would get out of it. I thought he would be in there for a few years.
Their father’s dying wish, who was fighting a losing battle with cancer, was to speak to Bell one last time – but that wish went unfulfilled when he passed away in April 2020
“Wayne has seen murderers and rapists come in and out of prison. He just ran someone over and took his bike. The punishment really doesn’t fit the crime.”
Figures released by the Ministry of Justice in March showed that nearly 3,000 people are still being held under the IPP.
According to activists at The Institute of Now, many prisoners have already exceeded their maximum sentences, some by more than ten years.
It is said that IPP has already cost the taxpayer £500 million and that this figure could rise by £1 billion by 2028.
At least 88 people who have been given IPPs have committed suicide in prison. It is feared that the number is much higher, as it is difficult to record how many people have committed suicide while in prison.
IPP was introduced in England and Wales in 2003 as part of the Criminal Justice Act. Its original purpose was to protect the public from dangerous criminals who were not given a life sentence for their crimes.
When the penalty was abolished in 2012, the change was not retroactive, meaning thousands of people are still subject to the penalty.
The Ministry of Justice told MEN: ‘The prison system is in crisis and we recognise that this has a significant impact on our entire justice system.
‘It is right that IPP sentences have been abolished. The Lord Chancellor is determined to work with organisations and campaign groups to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to support those still serving IPP sentences.’
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This comes after Labour announced new measures to tackle prison overcrowding in today’s Speech from the Throne.
Foreign prisoners, who make up just 12 percent of the UK prison population, could be deported in an attempt to tackle the problem.
The plan to deport foreign criminals more quickly is expected to free up about 5,000 places.
Other measures could include deporting criminals earlier, before they have fully served their sentence.
According to The Telegraph, foreign prisoners could be exported to their home countries under transfer agreements and lesser offenders could be deported from Britain.
Last week the Prison Governors’ Association, which represents 95 per cent of prison governors in England and Wales, warned that prisons would run out of space within days.
At the end of March this year, there were 10,422 foreign nationals in British prisons, up from 10,148 the year before. This is around 12 per cent of all prisoners – each one costing the taxpayer £47,000.