A father who has spent 20 years in prison serving an indefinite sentence over stealing a mobile phone is to be released - but his family say his life has been 'stolen' from him.
asserted
life → spend → him
Leroy Douglas, 45, was one of five prisoners whose cases were examined by the UN, which found that keeping them in jail amounted to arbitrary detention under international law.
asserted
keeping → examine → law
Despite completing the minimum term of two and a half years set by the court in 2005, Leroy remains behind bars under the controversial Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) system.
asserted
Leroy → complete → system
His release next month comes amid growing pressure to scrap IPP sentences, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham vowing to end them before the current Parliament concludes.
asserted
Parliament → come → them
For Leroy's family, however, the developments have come after two decades of waiting – with the father missing out on multiple life events, including the passing of his teenage daughter.
asserted
father → come → daughter
'It's like they've just locked him up and thrown the key away, and just forgotten about him,' his sister Natalie Douglas told the Daily Mail.
asserted
sister → lock → Mail
'His life has been stolen from him, just for stealing a mobile phone.'
asserted
life → steal → phone
She continued: 'He has been in for so long.
asserted
He → continue → ?
It's just been horrible not having my brother, and growing up together, isn't it?
asserted
it → have → brother
And my mum not having her son there.
asserted
mum → have → son
All my family missed him.
asserted
family → miss → him
Leroy Douglas (pictured) has spent 20 years in prison serving an indefinite sentence over stealing a Nokia mobile phone
'
asserted
Douglas → picture → phone
I know it was wrong for him to steal, but taking a Nokia phone?
asserted
him → know → phone
He never used any violence.
asserted
He → use → violence
'But, I know that's not an excuse.
asserted
that → know → ?
I know this, but he just took a Nokia phone and 20 years for a phone – that's barbaric.
asserted
that → know → phone
Leroy spent time in HMP Stocken in Stretton, Rutland, and now waits in HMP Erlestoke, in Wiltshire, before he is to be transferred to a hostel in October - which is hours away from his family.
asserted
which → spend → family
Among the many milestones he has missed in prison was the devastating passing of one of his daughters, who died at the age of 19.
asserted
who → miss → 19
'He has two daughters.
asserted
He → have → daughters
One passed away when she was 19,' Natalie said.
asserted
Natalie → pass → ?
'My brother hasn't been able to even grieve for her.'
asserted
brother → grieve → her
Leroy was convicted for crimes including shoplifting as a teenager and young man.
asserted
Leroy → convict → teenager
He was then sentenced for stealing a mobile phone from his cousin's boyfriend, while addicted to drugs.
asserted
He → sentence → drugs
Instead of a fixed term two and a half year custody sentence, Leroy was sentenced under the IPP system – introduced in 2005 for offenders considered dangerous but whose crimes were not serious enough to warrant a life sentence.
asserted
crimes → fix → sentence
Although prisoners were given a minimum length of time, completing it did not automatically result in release.
asserted
completing → give → release
They could remain in prison indefinitely until the Parole Board was satisfied that it was safe for them to return to the community.
uncertain
them → remain → community
This process includes a review at least once every two years.
asserted
process → include → review
Leroy's sister Natalie (pictured) has said the UK's justice system has 'locked [her brother] up and just thrown away the key'
asserted
system → picture → key
The system was abolished for new cases in 2012, but not retrospectively, leaving thousands of prisoners subject to sentences which could continue long after their minimum tariffs had expired – as with Leroy.
uncertain
tariffs → abolish → Leroy
'Even though he's coming home.
asserted
he → come → ?
He's not coming home, really, is he?
asserted
he → come → ?
Because he's still in the system, you know,' Natalie said.
asserted
Natalie → know → system
'He did commit petty theft, but that's not worthy of 20 years behind bars.
asserted
that → commit → bars
'He stole from cars, like smashing windows, but nothing like violent.
asserted
He → steal → windows
He hasn't got one violent bone in his body.
asserted
He → get → body
He hasn't had any fights.'
asserted
He → have → fights
Leroy's release is prefaced with a series of conditions, including abiding by a curfew, being monitored with a GPS tag and being tested for drugs.
asserted
release → preface → drugs
His case has gained renewed attention because of the wider political debate over the future of IPP prisoners and the Government's controversial early prison release scheme.
asserted
case → gain → prisoners
The Government has been hit by backlash over the prospect of some serious offenders being released before the end of their sentences, including the killers of PC Harper.
asserted
Government → hit → Harper
Leroy is pictured with his sister Natalie as children
But Leroy's family have condemned the timing of the scheme, with the aim to combat prison overcrowding, which plans to release prisoners early while their loved one has remained behind bars for decades.
asserted
one → picture → decades
…and 37 more, not listed.
The Aporia
