A thug who played a leading role in the murder of a Warrington dad has had a proposed move to an open prison blocked by the government.
Garry Newlove was kicked and beaten by a group of yobs in front of his family after he complained about vandalism. The 2007 crime shocked the country.
Adam Swellings was one of three teenagers found guilty of murder and was jailed for life. He was ordered to serve a minimum sentence of 17 years in prison.
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Last month it emerged that the Parole Board had recommended Swellings be moved to an open prison. However, Justice Secretary Dominic Raab has blocked the move adding his thoughts were with the victim's widow Baroness Newlove.
Mr Raab tweeted: "This was a horrific crime and my thoughts are with Baroness Newlove and her family. It’s my job to keep the public safe - that’s why I’ve blocked Adam Swellings’ move to open prison."
Mr Raab, who shared the tweet on April 29, said the government would now put public protection first. He tweeted: "Under our reforms, we will take a more precautionary approach - with public protection put first."
Earlier this year Mr Raab took control of deciding whether high-risk offenders can be transferred to open prison. Previously justice service officials were responsible for making such decisions.
Mr Newlove, 47, had gone out into the street to remonstrate with the teenagers about vehicles being vandalised. He was punched to the ground and kicked repeatedly “as if he were a football”.
The popular dad was taken to hospital after suffering a head injury. He died two days later.
Swellings, then 19, had been freed on bail just hours earlier over a similar assault. He also ignored a court order banning him from Warrington.
Fellow killers Jordan Cunliffe, then 16, and Steven Sorton, then 17, were handed minimum jail terms of 15 and 12 years respectively for the murder. Sorton’s sentence was reduced by two years on appeal. They were both released in 2020.
Mr Newlove's widow Helen was later appointed to a seat in the House of Lords and became Baroness Newlove of Warrington. Baroness Newlove has backed a campaign by the Daily Mirror for a victims’ rights bill to address the imbalance when it comes to criminals and those they target.
The proposed legislation would give victims the legal right to be updated and consulted on their cases. A victims’ code was introduced last year as a precursor to legislation which is still to be announced.
