Another success: IPP Prisoner released on licence

I recently represented my client at his Parole Board oral hearing, arguing that he met the release test and should be out in the community on licence.

Unfortunately, the journey to this decision was long (4 hearings !)  and there were many hurdles to overcome during this review. My client had been in an open prison for round 4 years and whilst he progressed well, progress had been slow due to a high number of changes in his Community Offender Manager delaying ROTLs, in particular his overnight ROTLs.

Despite the delays and changes, my client continued to conduct himself well, demonstrating over a lengthy period of time to the Parole Board that he was capable of dealing with problems appropriate. At each hearing he had, he was able to give the Parole panel more examples of how he had appropriately dealt with issues and not resorted to maladaptive ways of coping.

This really helped in this case, as it enabled me to argue that my client had internalised his learning and skills, had sufficient insight into himself, was evidencing compliance and motivation and now met the test for release. The Parole Board in this case agreed with the submissions, and despite some concerns on ROTLs regarding alcohol tests, we successfully argued for release in this case, with some conditions to monitor that area of risk.

It is really important that when experiencing delays, or hurdles during the parole review, that you don’t give up. In this case it really helped that my client persevered so that together we could show the Parole Board what he was capable of during the course of his oral hearings. This is a case which really shows the importance of being represented in your parole hearings. Not only was I able to advise and guide my client throughout the process, but I was also able to ensure he had a fair hearing of his application for release.

All of us in the Prison Law department at Youngs Law are passionate about the work we do and all of our clients are important to us. We strive to offer you the best service available and ensure you have a fair review.

If you require assistance with a parole review or have a review starting in the near future please do not hesitate to contact our offices where one of our prison law specialists will be more than happy to assist you.