Yes he has a bad past, but 17 years in prison changes a person. His new fiancee previously told the Mirror: 'He is not a monster. Labour's Shadow Justice Secretary Steve Reed criticised the Conservatives for failing to enact a bill sooner, insisting that Labour has led calls for a Victims Bill for eight years. Tory MP Brendan Clarke-Smith has also lent his support, saying vulnerable members of the public could be 'groomed' into marriage by manipulative crooks. 'We think it's deeply inappropriate and the Justice Secretary has set out his intention to prevent it from happening.'Īsked why it was 'inappropriate', the spokesman said: 'We don't believe it's right for prisoners serving whole life orders to marry in prison.'īellfield is said to have been put in touch with his now-fiancé by Peter Sutcliffe (pictured), after seeing a picture of her in the Yorkshire Ripper's cell 'I have seen how Bellfield seeking to marry has caused distress and trauma to his victims.'Ī Government source said allowing egregious criminals to wed would add to the distress the surviving relatives of victims.ĭowning Street has since confirmed plans to pass legislation that would ban those on whole life sentences from getting married.Ī spokesman for the Prime Minister said: 'The Ministry of Justice is committed to bring him forward legislation to stop prisoners serving whole life orders from marrying in prison and we will set out details in due course. 'Even where there is no risk of direct physical harm there is a significant risk of coercive or controlling behaviour. ![]() In a leaked letter to a cabinet colleague, Mr Raab said: 'I consider there is a very real risk that marriage in such cases would undermine public and victims' confidence in the Criminal Justice System. ![]() ![]() He also killed 19-year-old Marsha McDonnell (left) and 22-year-old Amelie Delagrange (right) The deputy PM's plans to ban the practice were pushed back amid fears of potential legal challenges, but Rishi Sunak's Government is confident it would face off any legal battle, with backing from the Attorney General. 'Passing law is never about any individual case, but I don't think it is appropriate and both therefore within the realm of the existing powers I have, but also the legislative agenda on which ill be saying more shortly, I think it is wrong,' he added. Speaking today, Mr Raab said he wants to ban all prisoners serving whole-life orders from marrying under his Victims Bill. Some 60 prisoners, many of them serving long jail terms, applied to marry last year. 'The prison has kicked this into the long grass because they don't want it to happen, but legally they will probably have to allow it.'Ī spokesperson for the Prison Service told outlet: 'The application is being considered.' It's alarming that, as things stand, his barristers have the law on their side. Pressed on how rapidly the change could be introduced, Mr Raab insisted: 'I plan to move quickly.'īellfield, who is serving two whole-life terms for the murder of 13-year-old Milli, well as Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22, has demanded prison bosses bend to his request to get married.Ī letter sent on his behalf by law firm Carringtons claims the delay in approving his marriage request is 'unlawful' and is a breach of the 1983 Marriage Act and the European Convention on Human Rights, The Sun reports.Ī source told the paper: 'Bellfield's laughing that he's getting all this help for free. 'What we're protectively do to make sure vulnerable people aren't subject to that element of risk. So on both factors, I'm committed to doing what we can to prevent that taking place.' He told LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast: 'Let me just be crystal clear with you, Nick – I don't think it is appropriate and I'm going to change the law. The Government has already vowed action, with Bellfield boasting his fight against them is 'costing me f*** all'.ĭeputy Prime Minister Mr Raab - who is set to unveil his new Victim's Bill in the coming weeks, which would ban people serving whole life terms getting hitched behind bars - branded Bellfield's bid to use taxpayer money as 'wrong'. ![]() News of his proposed nuptials with the blonde woman, who is in her 40s, sparked outrage when they were revealed last year. The 54-year-old brute, who is known to have murdered at least three people including 13-year-old Milly Dowler, has got engaged to a regular female visitor at HMP Frankfield, Durham, where he is serving a whole-life tariff. Justice Secretary Dominic Raab has today vowed to bring in new laws 'quickly' to stop jailed serial killer Levi Bellfield from using legal aid to get married behind bars.
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