Man in jail for eight years out in time for Christmas
A MAN who has spent eight years in prison for a street robbery when he was 18 has been released in time for Christmas.
Shaun Lloyd, 32, was given an Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentence after he was convicted of a street robbery in 2006.
Speaking about his sentence, Shaun said he was “over punished” and “over scrutinised”.
Shaun, from Cardiff, was just 18 when he received an IPP sentence after he was convicted of a street robbery.
He was given a minimum tariff sentence of two years and nine months but served eight years imprisonment before he was released on licence.
The father-of-two and stepfather-oftwo was sent back to prison in 2016 after using heroin and was returned to prison a second time earlier this year after he bought medication on the black market after missing a drugs appointment.
After initially fearing he would spend Christmas behind bars, Shaun was relieved to hear he would be released after serving 10 months and he left prison on Monday of last week.
But he continues to be held on licence indefinitely, which has caused him mental anguish and the feeling that his sentence will never be over.
Despite IPP’s being scrapped in 2012, there remain 2,223 people continuing to serve these types of sentences as legislation was not applied retrospectively.
Speaking the day after his release,
Shaun, from Ely, said: “This sentence is inhumane. I have know people in prison who have hung themselves because of it.
“Whenever someone knocks my door, I am worried they’re going to take me back to prison even though I know I haven’t done anything. I tell my wife Donna not to open the door.
“I could be recalled to prison if I happen to miss an appointment and I am currently on a tag. They won’t let me stay with my wife and children so I have to stay with my mum.
“I feels great to see my family but I honestly feel like I am being over-punished and over-scrutinised for something I did when I was 18.”
Shaun’s mother Shirley Debono has been campaigning for serving IPP prisoners to be resentenced so they are given determined sentences and can move on with their lives.
She has met with former Home Secretary David Blunkett, who “regrets” implementing IPP’s into law, and former justice minister David Gauke, and has started a petition which has gained more than 45,000 signatures.
Shirley, 59, of Adamsdown, said: “It’s been lovely having Shaun back home and the little ones are so glad to see him, but he’s still on a tag.
“I believe those IPP prisoners who deserve to spend the rest of their life in prison should be given life sentences and people like Shaun should be resentenced to determinate sentences so they can get on with their lives and save taxpayers millions of pounds.”
Shaun added: “I am super proud of mum but it’s a bit weight on my shoulders because I know she won’t stop until the law is changed.
“I want her to be able to rest and get on with her life but I know she won’t stop.”
A spokesman from the Ministry of Justice said changes to IPP sentences are retrospective for serving IPP prisoners, who will only be released when the parole board assesses them as suitable.