Today, 23 April 2026, the Court of Appeal gave a decision in five cases where indeterminate sentences of detention and imprisonment for public protection had been imposed on defendants when they were aged 21 and under (usually known as the now abolished IPP and DPP sentences).
One additional case was adjourned for further information. Three of the six cases had been referred by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
The court will give its full written reasons for the decisions in the future. Addressing the Appellants who were present by video link, the presiding judge and vice-president of the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division), Lord Justice Edis, made it clear that while each person had been convicted of extremely serious offences, they had spent far longer in prison or other custody than they should have done. Lord Justice Edis acknowledged each person whose sentence had been replaced with a fixed sentence, meaning they would be released shortly, would now have an opportunity to make something of their lives that they thought they were never going to get. He said that he hoped they would each be able to take advantage of this and do their best to stay away from trouble and lead good and fulfilled lives.
The decision came on the afternoon of 23 April 2026 after a day and a half of legal submissions for the six individuals. The Court had joined all the cases together and appointed Farrhat Arshad KC to provide overarching submissions to the Court on the particular legal issues that applied to sentencing children and young adults
The individual appellants were represented by barristers Farrhat Arshad KC, Hayley Douglas and Pippa Woodrow of Doughty Street Chambers, Nicholas Beechey of Great James Street, Carl Buckley of 33 Bedford Row, and Matthew Stanbury of Park Square Barristers, instructed by Laura Janes of G T Sewart Solicitors, Dean Kingham of Reece Thomas Watson Solicitors, BK Law Solicitors and Danielle Sheridan and Natalie Shotter of Tuckers Solicitors
Once the judgment is published, further information will be available about the reasons for the decision. This may also help others who were aged 21 and under who are thinking of appealing their sentence.