The prisoner, who served 18 years after being sentenced to 23 months in prison, expressed his desperation for a “normal life” as he made his seventh bid to escape an indefinite prison sentence.
Wayne Williams was imprisoned at the age of 17 for attempting to injure a police officer in a fight. When he was sentenced to imprisonment for public protection (IPP) in 2006, he was told he had to serve a minimum sentence of one year, 11 months and 20 days.
But he remains in prison 18 years later after a series of unsuccessful parole requests and struggles with “fear, paranoia and loneliness” under the inhumane sentencing policy that has since been abolished.
Mr Williams, now 36, hopes he can finally win his freedom as he faces his seventh parole board review this summer after the probation service said they supported his release.
Seen in letters from HMP Wymott IndependentHe revealed the “hell” of his incarceration in a category C prison in Lancashire as he struggled with his declining mental health.
Wayne, who grew up in a series of foster homes and secure units, said the IPP sentence was the hardest thing he had ever endured.
“For the last 18 to 19 years I feel like I’ve just been waiting, like I’m in a queue and waiting for the line to thin out, but it never does, I’m in a revolving door.” He wrote.
“I have literally been through hell for the last 10 to 12 years; My mental health slowly deteriorated and my paranoia peaked. I no longer feel safe and I live my life just one day at a time, without planning, without hope, in constant fear, paranoia and loneliness with no end in sight.
“I feel like I’m screaming at the top of my voice and everyone is ignoring me and conspiring for me to kill myself.”
IPP sentences, where offenders were given a minimum but not maximum prison sentence, were annulled in 2012 due to human rights concerns. But repealing the policy did not affect those already convicted, leaving thousands of inmates like Wayne to languish in prison for years beyond their original sentence.
He added: “All of my existing mental health issues have been exacerbated and I feel like all my health issues have been caused by the IPP prison sentence. “All I want to do is live some sort of normal life, have a relationship, have a family and live the rest of my life with some sort of normality.
Following the death of his grandmother, Wayne’s only family member, Wayne was supported by campaigner Shirley Debono, who founded the IPP Committee Action Group. Last year, he had counseled her on a 20-day hunger strike as she lost hope of being released.
“When she got really sick because she wasn’t eating, I could hear the weakness in her voice and I was telling her, ‘Please, please eat something,’” Ms. Debono said. Independent. “He’s been stuck in the system for years and it’s going to be very strange for him to get out.”
After the flawed policy was introduced under New Labor in 2005, he called for Labor to take urgent action to help IPP prisoners if it won the election.
“They need to admit that they introduced this terrible, evil punishment in 2005 and inflicted it on the wrong people,” he said. “They need to explain to the public that they made a huge mistake and put people in prison for years for minor crimes.
“I know they want to appear tough on crime, but they also need to appear fair. There is no justice without justice.”
Independent He called for an immediate review of the sentences of nearly 3,000 IPP prisoners currently languishing in prison; 708 of them have served more than 10 years of their original sentences.
Almost 90 IPP prisoners died by suicide as families and campaigners called for a rut drill.
Recent cases highlighted by this publication include Thomas White, who set himself on fire after serving 12 years in prison for stealing a mobile phone, and Yusuf Ali, who went 61 days without eating because he had given up hope of escaping his IPP sentence.
Although recent reforms passed under the Victims and Prisoners Bill will reduce the IPP license period for community offenders from 10 years to three years, it will do little to help those who have never been released.
The prison service has been approached for comment.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress or finding it difficult to cope, you can speak to Samaritans confidentially on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org or visit . Samaritans Website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are a US resident and you or someone you know needs mental health help right now, call or text 988 or visit: 988lifeline.org To access online chat on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis helpline available to anyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country you can go www.befrienders.org To find a helpline near you.