Islamist killer who held prison officer hostage received isolation payout

A convicted double-murderer who held a prison officer hostage was awarded compensation and legal costs after a High Court found failures in reviews of his segregated conditions.

A convicted double-murderer who once held a prison officer hostage has been awarded compensation and legal costs following a High Court ruling. The offender was serving life for the 2011 killings of two teenagers and carried out a hostage incident at Full Sutton prison in 2013. He was later moved to a separation unit and from 2021 was held at HMP Woodhill, spending long periods alone under supervision. The Justice Secretary has agreed to pay £7,500 in compensation and £234,000 in legal costs after the court found failures in how his segregated conditions were reviewed. Key facts: - The prisoner took a prison officer hostage during an incident at Full Sutton prison in May 2013; the siege ended when riot police ended the situation and the officer was freed. - He was serving a life sentence for the 2011 execution-style killings of two teenagers and received additional time after the 2013 incident. - From 2021 he was kept in a separation unit and spent extended periods alone, with restricted association with other inmates. - The High Court allowed his claim that reviews of his segregated conditions were inadequate, and the Justice Secretary authorised payment of £7,500 compensation and £234,000 in legal costs. - The decision has prompted political criticism, and ministers have said they are considering changes to the law on how the European Convention on Human Rights is applied to extremist prisoners. Summary: The ruling underscores a legal tension between measures used in prisons to manage extremist or dangerous inmates and protections under human rights law. The payout has drawn political criticism, and ministers say they are considering legislative changes to address how the ECHR is applied in such cases.