Member

Murder is the most heinous crime a person can commit, and the murder of a prison officer or police officer in the course of their duty is particularly abhorrent. We must ensure that those responsible are punished properly. In the sentencing framework for murder, a whole-life order is the most severe form of punishment the courts can impose. Currently, 74 prisoners are serving those sentences. A whole-life order is normally the appropriate starting point for the murder of a police officer or a prison officer when they are on duty and when the offence was committed on or after 13 April 2015. This provision was introduced to recognise the unique and dangerous job that police and prison officers do on a daily basis.