A new crime campaign group, Justice for Victims, is speaking out later today, calling for "proper sentences" for dangerous criminals.
The group, led by those who have lived through the horror of serious violent crimes, is demanding that the Criminal Justice System put victims and their families first and punish the worst offenders properly, with the greater use of whole life orders, and the use of 40-year sentences.
A statement from families and campaigners said: “Today, the parents of Sarah Everard (who was abducted whilst walking home, raped and murdered), Katie Brett (whose 16-year-old sister was raped and stabbed more than 100 times by her killer), Ayse Hussein (whose cousin was killed by a serial sex offender who stored her body in a freezer), Paula Hudgell (who campaigns on behalf of her adopted son Tony who lost his lower legs as a result of child cruelty), and Becky & Glen Youens (whose four-year-old daughter Violet Grace was killed by a dangerous driver who’s spent barely more time in prison than their daughter was alive) are visiting Parliament to say with one voice that it is time for change.
"It is time for us to start ensuring sentences truly deliver justice for victims and their families.”
The parents of Sarah Everard are part of the new campaign group Justice for Victims
FAMILY HANDOUT
The families and campaigners have come together at a time when there’s growing outrage over the belief that dangerous criminals are getting away with lenient sentences.
Campaigner Katie Brett has been fighting to secure a 28-day limit on appeals against sentences that are overly lenient, after her sister Sasha Marsden was raped, murdered and then set on fire by her killer David Minto in Blackpool in 2013.
Yet despite this crime Minto only received 35 years in prison, and not a whole life order.
Another, Ayshe Hussein, lost her cousin Mihrican "Jan" Mustafa after she was strangled by her killer, a repeat sex offender Zahid Younis, and then hidden for weeks in a freezer. Younis was not give a whole life order.
With Parliament currently having no cross-party campaign group on sentencing, this will be the first time that a united group of victims and campaigners have come together to call for tougher sentences for those that commit serious sexual and violent crimes.
And they're urging the public to join them. The group has also launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise money and intends to rally all MPs in Parliament to back their campaign for justice.
According to a 2022-2023 Justice report, 55 per cent of the 2,000 respondents polled supported a whole life order for a child murder, and 42 per cent for an adult murder, the most popular sentencing choices selected by the public.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
According to a 2022-2023 Justice report, 55 per cent of the 2,000 respondents polled supported a whole life order for a child murder, and 42 per cent for an adult murder, the most popular sentencing choices selected by the public
UK PARLIAMENT
Commenting on the launch of the group, Shadow Justice Minister, Dr Kieran Mullan MP, said: “For too long our sentencing system has not given enough consideration to what victims, their families and the wider public would consider to be justice. This leaves so many people feeling let down.
“There are plenty of groups speaking up for what’s best for the perpetrators and asking for more lenient sentences. Justice for Victims can now play a powerful role in balancing that out.”
The Bexhill and Battle MP added: “It’s been a privilege to meet with and support these incredibly brave and strong people who want to do something positive despite the horrendous circumstances they have and continue to have to live through.”
There is notable public support for tougher sentencing, particularly for serious crimes.
A 2019 Statista survey revealed that 70 per cent of respondents felt court sentences for convicted criminals were not harsh enough.
Similarly, a 2022 YouGov poll found that 65 per cent of Britons thought that sentencing was too lenient, with 83 per cent of Conservative voters and 51 per cent of Labour voters sharing this opinion.
Responding, Labour Peer, Lord Steve McCabe said: “Certainly victims deserve justice and a better deal than often offered by system at present.
“My main argument is that those convicted should serve the sentence handed down with limited reductions for good behaviour and no automatic remission.”
Lord McCabe explained: “Serious violent offending, premeditated murder, child murder and terrorist acts should attract a high tariff sentence in my view.”
Sasha Marsden was just 16 years old when she was murdered
LANCASHIRE POLICE
As well as launching an appeal for public support the group is today meeting with cross party MPs and the leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch.
Everard’s parents, Sue and Jeremy, expressed their concerns over sentencing by saying, said: “We feel it is important that sentences should truly reflect the seriousness of the crime and give victims, their families and society a sense of justice having been served.”
This sentiment is echoed by Katie Brett, who added: “My sister had decades of life ahead of her. Surely if you take a life the starting point should be spending the rest of your life in prison? That’s what we wanted as a family and what would have been respectful of my sister’s memory.”
The frustration with sentences not matching the gravity of certain crimes is also felt by Paula Hudgell OBE, who said: “I have seen so many cases of child abusers that don’t get a punishment that fits the crime.
"Let alone child murderers – they shouldn’t get out of prison in my view.”
This call for greater accountability is also underscored by Ayse Hussein, who stated: “We need to start listening to the views of all victims and the public on what justice means. We aren’t getting justice often enough so listen, learn and treat us all the same.”
For Glenn and Becky Youens, whose daughter Violet-Grace’s death marked its eighth anniversary yesterday, the fight for justice is ongoing.
They said: “Yesterday was the eighth anniversary of Violet-Grace’s tragic death and we find ourselves still fighting for justice. Violet-Grace was in the right place at the right time - it was her killers who were in the wrong place.”
GB News has approached the Government for comment.
