Leroy Douglas, 45, is set to be released from prison after serving 20 years for stealing a Nokia phone under the Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) system. The case was examined by the UN, which found that keeping him in jail constituted arbitrary detention under international law. Douglas has missed out on life events, including the passing of his teenage daughter, and will be released next month due to growing pressure to scrap IPP sentences. His family is critical of the sentence, with his sister saying "it's like they've just locked him up and thrown the key away" and that "his life has been stolen from him".
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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father → come → daughter
'It's like they've just locked him up and thrown the key away, and just forgotten about him,' his sister Nathalie Douglas told the Daily Mail.
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sister → lock → Mail
'His life has been stolen from him, just for stealing a mobile phone.'
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life → steal → phone
She continued: 'He has been in for so long.
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He → continue → ?
It's just been horrible not having my brother, and growing up together, isn't it?
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it → have → brother
All my family missed him.
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family → miss → him
Leroy Douglas (pictured) has spent 20 years in prison serving an indefinite sentence over stealing a Nokia mobile phone
'I know it was wrong for him to steal, but taking a Nokia phone?
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him → picture → phone
He never used any violence.
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He → use → violence
'But, I know that's not an excuse.
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that → know → ?
I know this, but he just took a Nokia phone and 20 years for a phone – that's barbaric.
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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.
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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.
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who → miss → 19
'He has two daughters.
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He → have → daughters
One passed away when she was 19,' Nathalie said.
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Nathalie → pass → ?
'My brother hasn't been able to even grieve for her.'
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brother → grieve → her
Leroy was convicted for crimes including shoplifting as a teenager and young man.
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Leroy → convict → teenager
He was then sentenced for stealing a mobile phone from his cousin's boyfriend, while addicted to drugs.
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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.
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crimes → fix → sentence
Although prisoners were given a minimum length of time, completing it did not automatically result in release.
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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.
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them → remain → community
This process includes a review at least once every two years.
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process → include → review
Leroy's sister Nathalie (pictured) has said the UK's justice system has 'locked [her brother] up and just thrown away the key'
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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.
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tariffs → abolish → Leroy
'Even though he's coming home.
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he → come → ?
He's not coming home, really, is he?
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he → come → ?
Because he's still in the system, you know,' Nathalie said.
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Nathalie → know → system
'He did commit petty theft, but that's not worthy of 20 years behind bars.
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that → commit → bars
He stole from cars, like smashing windows, but nothing like violent.
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He → steal → windows
He hasn't got one violent bone in his body.
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He → get → body
He hasn't had any fights.'
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Government → hit → Harper
Leroy is pictured with his sister Nathalie 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.
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one → picture → decades
Notably, ministers are finding extra cell spaces by releasing inmates serving IPPs.
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ministers → find → IPPs
This move has been criticised over the argument many IPP prisoners have been assessed as too dangerous to release.
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prisoners → criticise → argument
…and 36 more, not listed.
