7m
Contains distressing content and strong language.
4 Oct 2023

Indeterminate prison sentences – when 18 months can last 18 years

The UN special rapporteur for torture has told this programme that Indeterminate prison terms, or IPP Sentences, which were handed down by UK judges up until 11 years ago are an “egregious miscarriage of justice”.

Calls for re-sentencing have been rejected and though there’ve been no new IPPs since 2012, old ones mean nearly 3,000 prisoners are still affected.

In this special report, Martin Read spoke to those still imprisoned under the measures like Carl Lamb. He’s been in jail for 18 years for actual bodily harm, while his original sentence was just 18 months.

Warning: Contains strong language and distressing themes.