Judge rejects sex offenders' claim

Judge rejects sex offenders' claim

Five convicted sex offenders who deny they are guilty yesterday lost a test case challenge to the way Home Secretary Michael Howard has handled their cases.

A judge rejected their claim that Mr Howard was operating a "rigid and over-strict" policy which unfairly and unlawfully blocked early parole and enhanced privileges because their claims of innocence meant they could not take part in the prison sexual offenders' treatment programme (SOTP).

Rejecting their application for judicial review, Mr Justice Laws said "the very gravity" of the original offences meant that the starting-point for improving their conditions, or considering the question of parole, had to be whether they posed an "unacceptable future risk". He said: "It could only be dispelled by some material to show that the offender has changed, is motivated to avoid such conduct if and when he is released."