House of Commons · Westminster Hall
20 March 2024 · 3 other contributors · 5,846 words
Opened by Lee Anderson Reform Ashfield
Responding minister: Edward Argar
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Lee Anderson raised concerns about prevention of future deaths report: terance radford in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key points
Key requests to Government
The MP asked the government to investigate why no criminal charges were brought against the prison governors responsible for Radford's death, and to ensure that such individuals are not protected within the justice system. The family of Terry Radford deserves closure and an explanation of what happened to those involved in his wrongful release.
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
The MP highlighted the case of Terance Radford, a respected community member who was killed by Gavin Collins, a prisoner released early from HMP Ranby. The release decision was made despite previous incidents where Collins set fire to his cell and injured a prison staff member. The MP expressed concerns over the lack of accountability for the governors involved in the decision-making process that led to Radford's death.
Jim Shannon expressed shock at the case of Terance Radford's death and highlighted concerns about early release under curfew for individuals who demonstrated no regard for human life. He criticised decisions made based on the letter rather than the spirit of the law, advocating for better judgment in releasing dangerous individuals to protect society.
Order. The hon. Gentleman means the hon. Member for Mansfield.
Discussed the case of Terance Radford, highlighting issues in the prison, probation, and justice systems. Emphasized that proper risk assessments were not conducted before the release of a prisoner who later killed Terance. Raised concerns about the expansion of home detention curfew in the Sentencing Bill and lack of transparency regarding the ECSL scheme.
Government Response
Edward ArgarI am grateful to the hon. Member for Ashfield (Lee Anderson) for securing a debate on this important issue, expressing deepest sympathy to Mr Radford's family and friends, and highlighting the dignity they have shown in tragic circumstances. The minister noted the tenacious pursuit of the matter by the hon. Member for Ashfield and acknowledged the previous correspondence with the former Ministers. He highlighted that the home detention curfew (HDC) policy has been in place since 1999 but fell short in Collins's case, as it did not obtain all relevant information, including mental health details. The minister stated that protecting the public must be the priority and emphasised the need to keep HDC policy under review and learn lessons from failures. He detailed actions taken following the prevention of future deaths report by the coroner, such as amending the HDC policy framework and requiring consideration of broader community risks. The investigation into Collins's release found it was not in line with HMPPS policy and recommended disciplinary proceedings against staff involved, which were carried out internally without evidence of criminal conduct. The minister offered a meeting to discuss the disciplinary process further.