IPP jail sentences: Man’s two decades in prison for stealing laptop

Michael Roberts received an IPP sentence in 2006, aged 33, for armed robbery and was told he had to serve a minimum of three and a half years in prison.

Roberts, from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, said he already had 24 convictions for 134 offences prior to that, mainly for motoring offences.

He was released five years later.

He has been recalled to prison five times for spells lasting between seven and 14 months since.

The first recall happened two months after his release as a result of further allegations, for which he says he was found not guilty.

Now working as a roofer, he has been out of prison since May and was previously in the community for seven years without being recalled.

His two youngest children were put up for adoption aged 18 months and seven years a result of a recall, and he said he has had no contact with them since.

Another child is in foster care, while he is in contact with his older children and grandchildren.

Roberts recognises he committed a serious crime which warranted a big sentence, and already had a criminal background.

“What I did to those people was bad. We had no business, no right to be doing that to those people,” he said.

“I can never justify what I did. It was a stupid decision… but I’ve paid my price.”

He also said some IPP sentences were justified for individuals who pose a significant risk.

“There are some seriously dangerous people who warrant IPP sentences,” he said.

But he argued his IPP sentence had made it impossible for him to move on with his life.

“For me, it’s a very difficult pill to swallow right now,” Roberts said.

“I’m now a 51-year-old man. I’m a grandad. It’s destroying my children’s lives.

“I’d give anything to have them back.”