Of appeal in london. sophie, this is an important, super appeal in london involving these very important cases. for 20 years judges have had the power to impose how life orders, which effectively means locking somebody up and throwing away the key. they have been more inclined to use the power than the politicians who had the power before then. what has been clear in recent years, there is a grey area as to which types of very serious murders should possibly qualify for a whole life in order, hence this appeal today to try and wrestle through this to come up with some clearer guidelines for coat around the country. the most headlining case is wayne couzens, who murdered sarah everard. in this case, he is appealing against his whole life order imposed last autumn. his lawyers told the court today that he should be in jail for decades to come, but short of a whole life order, because he had shown remorse once he was in court,
Who is at the high court. all of this relates to whether whole life sentences are excessive or appropriate. tell us what has gone on in court? on in court? quite a complicated business. today on in court? quite a complicated business. today we on in court? quite a complicated business. today we had - on in court? quite a complicated business. today we had five - on in court? quite a complicated business. today we had five of l on in court? quite a complicated l business. today we had five of the country s most seniorjudges are the most seniorjudges in england and wales and it is what amounts to a super appeal. we have a bit of a debate going on about the precise boundaries of whether a whole life order can be are used. it is precisely that, a life term for a murder in specific circumstances where the crime is so serious, that the offender should never be released from jail as a just punishment. no hope of release. there are 64 people in jail at the moment with these terms. today w
Court building. what we have got here is a super appeal. every now and then fivejudges here is a super appeal. every now and then five judges come together to examine the big legal issue and in this case they are looking at life orders because while the law is settled that they are permissible you can knock somebody up forever and effectively there away the key, the precise circumstances into which thatis the precise circumstances into which that is possible is still a matter of some debate so in some cases it s pretty clear especially in relation to an ideologically motivated crimes such as terrorism but it s a bit of a grey area in others and that s what we have been hearing because the judge will try to isolate these complex and tragic murders and try and come up with some clear principles for sentencing judges around the country to use for decades to come. they lead case in terms of public profile is the murder of sarah everard. the former police officer was jailed with a holy life