Life behind bars for police, prison and probation killers
Whole life orders for murders connected to the police, prison or probation officer's current or former duties
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Whole life order for murders connected to the police, prison or probation officer’s current or former duties
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New starting point for sentencing to deter revenge attacks and ensure offenders face the harshest consequences
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Part of Plan for Change to ensure most dangerous offenders remain locked up under sentencing reforms
Vile killers who murder a police, prison or probation officer, even when the victim is off duty or no longer serving, will face being sentenced to prison for the rest of their life under tough new laws.
The DPM announced in the House that amendments tabled to the Sentencing Bill today (16 December) will give greater protection to serving and former officers and their families, providing reassurance that those who dedicate their lives to keeping the public safe are backed by the full force of the law. The changes mean that any murder connected to an officer’s current or former duties will be subject to a Whole Life Order – meaning they face spending the rest of their life behind bars.
Killers who target prison or police officers serving in the line of duty already receive a whole life order starting point, however these strengthened laws will add probation officers and cases where the killer’s motivation is linked to the victim’s role, even if the officer was not serving at the time of the attack.
The change will ensure revenge killings – like the recent murder of Lenny Scott– are met with the harshest punishment, even when officers are targeted years after leaving the service.
Talking about this in the House of Commons today, the Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said:
This Government is clear that perpetrators of heinous killings like these must feel the full force of the law….
This means offenders can expect to spend the rest of their lives behind bars.
It is the latest step this Government is taking to keep our hardworking prison and probation staff safe.
Sentencing Minister Jake Richards said:
Those who murder the people who keep us safe – whether in uniform, off duty or long after they’ve served – deserve nothing less than to spend the rest of their lives in prison.
These are cowardly, vindictive attacks by criminals who seek revenge on the very officers who confront danger on our behalf. Our message to them is simple: if you target police, prison or probation staff, you will never walk free again.
We will always stand squarely behind the men and women who protect the public, and we will ensure their killers face the toughest punishment law allows.
Whole life orders are the most severe form of punishment the courts can impose in England and Wales. They carry no minimum term and no prospect of release by the Parole Board and are therefore reserved for the most heinous cases of murder.
Further information
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A whole life order is the appropriate starting point where the court considers the seriousness of the offence to be exceptionally high, and the offender was aged 21 or over at the time of the offence.
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The latest offender management statistics show as of 30 September 2025, there are 74 prisoners serving whole life tariffs: Offender management statistics quarterly - GOV.UK
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The amendments to the Sentencing Bill will be debated at Report stage of the Bill in the House of Lords in the new year.