Keith Rose: Aftermath of My Judicial Review – Downgraded to Category B

As recently reported in MOJUK newsletter ‘Inside Out’ No 646, on the 28th July 2017, I won a Judicial Review against the Secretary of State for Justice against my long-term Category A status.

To quote Danny McAllister, the former Deputy Director of the High Security Estate, "the only reason you're still in Category A is Parkhurst". The Parkhurst Escape was the 3rd January 1995, nearly 23 years ago. Just an illustration of how vindictive the Ministry of Justice and Prison Service can be.

Of course, there were other factors like Devon & Cornwall police practising their consummate skill at lying to impede my progress. Among the concoctions was a story that in 1989 at Exmouth Police station I attacked a police officer and caused him such horrendous injuries that he lost the use of an arm, thus having to medically retire.

I was never in Exmouth Police station in 1989 and have never been questioned, arrested, charged or convicted of such an attack. Equally, for a claimed attack that happened in a police station, I have never had a 20-stone copper jumping up down on my head. An event that would have surely happened if such an attack had occurred.

The court ruled that an Oral Hearing should take place in the interests of fairness to discuss the matter of my Category A status.

This Oral Hearing took place on the 31st August with the Director of the High Security Estate the Chair of the Category A Review Team, a Psychologist and the Governor of HMP Whitemoor attending.

I was unrepresented as Grayling's meddling with Legal Aid, means that a prisoner can be legally represented for a minor adjudication, but not for an Oral Hearing. You couldn't make it up.

After a one hour meeting and following a short break, it was decided that I should be downgraded to Category B, effective immediately.

My advice to other prisoners who are long term Category A, with no sign of downgrading is to seek a Judicial Review for an Oral Hearing, as it is all too often the only solution to an impasse. There are many obstacles in the way to limit the number of Oral Hearings, but Judicial Reviews are essential where an impasse exists.

I think that all prisoners in the High Security Estates recognise that, the Category A system is entirely broken.

Perhaps the time has come to adopt the Scottish and Northern Ireland regimes. No Category system, no Incentives and Earned Privileges system

Keith Rose A7780AG, HMP Whitemoor, Longhill Road, March, PE15 0PR