A criminal who was sentenced to three years in prison for a violent assault with a meat cleaver remains incarcerated 15 years later.
Andrew Whittle, now 48, received an indeterminate sentence for public protection (IPP) in 2011 for attacking a kind bystander. This ruling was issued by a judge at Bolton Crown Court.
Despite the initial IPP term of three years and four months, Whittle has not been released from his 40-month imprisonment since then.
The IPP system, active from 2005 to 2012, targeted dangerous criminals not eligible for life sentences. It involved a minimum sentence followed by indefinite detention until the Parole Board deemed the individual safe for release. However, this approach often resulted in prolonged incarceration, as highlighted by the Prison Reform Trust.
While serving time at HMP Dartmoor in 2024, Whittle was found in possession of three mobile phones, including an iPhone and a Samsung device, along with two chargers. He made multiple calls from these phones to his brother and a female friend, though no illegal activities were reported.
During a court session at Plymouth Crown Court on May 12, it was revealed that Whittle admitted to eight charges related to the phones. He has a criminal record of 22 convictions for 91 offenses.
Judge Robert Linford, presiding over the case and now incarcerated at HMP Fosse Way, emphasized that Whittle had served over 15 years of his IPP sentence. Linford acknowledged the circumstances but stated the necessity of imposing an additional 18-month jail term for the phone violations, insisting that no lower sentence could be given. Whittle was also instructed to pay a victim surcharge of £187.
In a previous incident in 2011, Whittle, then 32, viciously attacked a Good Samaritan with a meat cleaver, resulting in significant head injuries requiring 20 stitches. Following the assault, he pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, wounding with intent, and possession of an offensive weapon.
HMP Dartmoor ceased operations in 2024 due to safety concerns related to radioactive radon gas, leading to substantial ongoing expenses for the HM Prison and Probation Service. Unless remedial actions are taken to reopen Dartmoor, the service will continue to incur significant annual costs until the lease expires in 2033, amounting to an estimated total of £32 million.
