Mugger fails in bid to lift his ‘virtual life sentence’

AN I.T. wizard locked up for mugging an old woman when he was 13 has failed to convince top judges to lift his ‘virtual life sentence.’

Jondale Grimshaw, now 22, was ordered to be detained indefinitely for public protection at Bolton Crown Court in June 2008.

He admitted trying to rob a 67-year-old whose bag he attempted to snatch, as well as common assault and theft.

Grimshaw was at the time running wild around Bolton with other youths, London’s Appeal Court heard.

Despite his tender years, he had a record of street robberies and other offences and he ‘showed no remorse at the time,’ said Mrs Justice Andrews.

He was handed an indefinite sentence – which is reserved for ‘dangerous offenders’ – because his behaviour was said to be getting worse. He was becoming increasingly violent and ‘the authorities just could not cope with him,’ the judge said. Grimshaw was released on licence in 2015, but his sentence will be hanging over him Appeal judge for the rest of his life. It means that he can be recalled to custody at any time if he breaches his licence conditions or the authorities perceive a risk of him re-offending.

He was described as brilliant at IT and exceptionally bright – having amassed a total of 14 GCSEs during his time behind bars.

But Mrs Justice Andrews, sitting with Lord Justice Davis and Mr Justice King, refused to overturn his indefinite sentence in a ruling yesterday.

The approach of the judge who locked him up almost a decade ago was ‘impeccable,’ she said. The judge had ‘balanced his rights as a child and the rights of the public to be safe from him.’

“He thought that the public must come first,” she said.

“Despite Grimshaw’s tender age he had already accrued a formidable record of previous convictions.”

And the appeal judge ruled: “We conclude that this application should be dismissed.”

After the hearing, Grimshaw’s barrister labelled his punishment a ‘virtual life sentence.’