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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Teacher killer loses jail appeal | Teacher killer loses jail appeal |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The killer of a London head teacher, who was stabbed outside his school, has lost an appeal against a ruling returning him to a closed prison. | The killer of a London head teacher, who was stabbed outside his school, has lost an appeal against a ruling returning him to a closed prison. |
| Learco Chindamo murdered Philip Lawrence outside St George's Roman Catholic school, Maida Vale, in 1995. | Learco Chindamo murdered Philip Lawrence outside St George's Roman Catholic school, Maida Vale, in 1995. |
| Chindamo was later moved to an open prison, but Home Secretary John Reid has overturned the measure. | Chindamo was later moved to an open prison, but Home Secretary John Reid has overturned the measure. |
| Chindamo challenged the home secretary at the High Court, but his appeal was rejected. | Chindamo challenged the home secretary at the High Court, but his appeal was rejected. |
| Lawyers acting for Chindamo accused the home secretary of acting improperly in an attempt to save political face. | Lawyers acting for Chindamo accused the home secretary of acting improperly in an attempt to save political face. |
| 'Knee-jerk reaction' | |
| Chindamo was one of 25 prisoners moved back to a closed jail last year. | Chindamo was one of 25 prisoners moved back to a closed jail last year. |
| It followed media coverage of the failure to deport criminals to their native countries and the risk of them escaping from low-security prisons. | It followed media coverage of the failure to deport criminals to their native countries and the risk of them escaping from low-security prisons. |
| Flo Krause, appearing for Chindamo, who is now 26, argued his clients removal to a more secure prison was "knee-jerk reaction to frenzied media attention". | Flo Krause, appearing for Chindamo, who is now 26, argued his clients removal to a more secure prison was "knee-jerk reaction to frenzied media attention". |
| She said the move amounted to unlawful discrimination and a disproportionate interference with Chindamo's human rights. | She said the move amounted to unlawful discrimination and a disproportionate interference with Chindamo's human rights. |
| Mr Justice Underhill, sitting at the High Court, rejected the appeal and dismissed Chindamo's application for judicial review. | Mr Justice Underhill, sitting at the High Court, rejected the appeal and dismissed Chindamo's application for judicial review. |
| The judge called the killing of Mr Lawrence "notorious and shocking" but said it had played no part in the decision to refuse the appeal. | |
| Interference 'justified' | |
| He denied the decision to move Chindamo from Ford open prison, West Sussex, to Blakenhurst prison, Redditch, Worcestershire, as "irrational and disproportionate". | |
| He said all foreign life-term prisoners were transferred to closed prisons in May without individual circumstances being taken into account. | |
| The judge also said any interference with Chindamo's human rights had been justified under the circumstances. | |
| Chindamo was a member of a teenage street gang who murdered Mr Lawrence outside St George's Roman Catholic School in Maida Vale, north west London, in December 1995. | |
| The popular headmaster was killed after he tried to protect a pupil from the gang. |