Violent criminals and convicted terrorists have secured a victory in a legal battle that could see the taxpayer fund compensation and legal costs totalling an estimated one million pounds. The cases centre on the controversial practice of holding inmates in solitary confinement.
High Court Rules Segregation Breaches Human Rights
Four high-profile prisoners have successfully argued that being held in segregation units was unlawful. Justice Secretary David Lammy has approved a compensation payment of £7,500 plus £234,000 in legal costs to double killer Fuad Awale. The High Court agreed that holding Awale in a Close Supervision Centre (CSC) for dangerous inmates at HMP Woodhill in Buckinghamshire breached his human rights.
Awale, 36, is serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 38 years for the execution-style shooting of two teenagers in 2013. He later received a further six years for threatening to kill a prison officer. He claimed he developed "severe depression" when placed in segregation.
A Cascade of Costly Claims
The ruling has opened the door for similar claims. Denny De Silva, sentenced to a minimum of 27 years for murder, was granted £255,000 in legal costs after arguing that separation from other prisoners caused him excessive anxiety. De Silva, a convert to Islam described as an "extremist enforcer", had previously been found guilty of smuggling phones into prison to share Islamic State material.
Convicted terrorist and aspiring rapper Sahayb Abu, 31, who also goes by the name "Masked Menace", won his case after being sent to solitary confinement over fears he was radicalising other inmates. Triple murderer Kevan Thakrar also successfully challenged his segregation. The legal costs for Abu and Thakrar have not been disclosed, but based on the average awarded so far, the total bill for all four cases is estimated to reach approximately £978,000 in legal fees alone.
Victim's Outrage and Future Implications
The payouts have sparked fury, particularly from victims of the criminals involved. Former prison officer Claire Lewis was stabbed in the back by Thakrar at HMP Frankland in County Durham in 2010. The attack forced her to retire due to severe injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder.
"It is outrageous that the Government is paying out on these cases," said Ms Lewis, a mother-of-two from Washington, Tyne and Wear. She questioned whether she could sue Thakrar, who never denied causing her injuries but claimed the stabbing was a "pre-emptive strike" in self-defence.
Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick condemned the compensation awarded to Awale, calling it "a sick joke". He highlighted that the payout was going to "a double murderer and extremist who took a prison officer hostage".
With 52 inmates reported to have been held in Close Supervision Centres five years ago, legal experts suggest the government may be forced to settle many more cases in the future. The Ministry of Justice declined to comment, citing ongoing legal proceedings.
