Britain is expanding the use of "whole life orders," sentences that mandate imprisonment for the remainder of a convict's natural life. This policy, reserved for the most heinous offenses, will now encompass a broader range of crimes, including revenge killings against police and prison officers.
Expansion of Whole Life Orders
The government announced the broadening of these severe sentences in the wake of the 2024 murder of prison officer Lenny Scott. Then-Justice Secretary David Lammy stated that the sentences would be extended to include revenge killings targeting law enforcement and prison staff. This policy ensures that individuals who commit particularly egregious crimes will not be eligible for release.
Notorious Inmates Serving Whole Life Terms
Several high-profile and dangerous criminals are currently serving whole life orders in the UK, highlighting the severity of crimes that warrant such punishment.
Rose West, an English serial killer, was sentenced to ten life terms and a whole life order for the torture and murder of at least ten young women between 1973 and 1983, often in conjunction with her husband, Fred West. She is currently 72 and housed at New Hall Prison.
Michael Adebolajo, one of two Islamist terrorists responsible for the 2013 murder of British Army soldier Fusilier Lee Rigby in Woolwich, was given a whole life order. Adebolajo and his accomplice ran Rigby down with a car and then used knives and a cleaver to stab and hack him to death, claiming they were avenging Muslims killed by the British military.
Wayne Couzens, an off-duty Metropolitan Police constable, murdered Sarah Everard in March 2021. He kidnapped, raped, and strangled the 33-year-old before disposing of her body. His crime sparked widespread debate about women's safety in the UK.
Levi Bellfield, a serial killer, was found guilty of the murders of Marsha McDonnell, Amélie Delagrange, and Milly Dowler. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order and is held at HMP Frankland.
Thomas Mair murdered Labour MP Jo Cox in a politically motivated attack in 2016, shooting and stabbing her outside a constituency surgery. He shouted "Britain first, this is for Britain" during the assault.
Lucy Letby, a former neonatal nurse, was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016. She is serving 15 whole-life prison terms, making her one of the most prolific child serial killers in modern British history. Letby was convicted of injecting air into infants' bloodstreams and poisoning babies with synthetic insulin.
Recent Additions to the List
Simon Levy, a serial predator, recently joined the ranks of those sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. He was convicted of murdering two women and raping a third, with many of his offenses occurring while he was on bail. His conviction at The Old Bailey led to his sentencing with a whole-life order.
Other notable individuals serving whole life orders include David Fuller, a necrophiliac who abused bodies in hospital mortuaries and was already serving a whole life term for two murders; Stephen Port, a serial killer and rapist who used a date-rape drug on his victims; Jamie Varley, who subjected a 13-month-old baby to a campaign of sexual abuse leading to his death; Mark Bridger, who murdered five-year-old April Jones; Ali Harbi Ali, an Islamic State sympathiser convicted of murdering Conservative MP Sir David Amess; Khairi Saadalla, who attacked members of the public in Reading; Louis De Zoysa, who shot dead a police sergeant while handcuffed; Sharaz Ali, who murdered his ex-girlfriend's sister and her three children by setting fire to their home; Damien Bendall, who murdered his partner and her three children; and Lee Newell, convicted of three murders spanning decades.