Jake Fahri recommended for open prison over ‘murder rap’

A killer accused of releasing rap music about murdering a teenager has been recommended for transfer to an open prison by the Parole Board.

Jake Fahri, then 19, was given a life sentence in 2009 with a minimum term of 14 years for killing schoolboy Jimmy Mizen by throwing an oven dish at him.

The glass dish shattered and severed blood vessels in 16-year-old Jimmy’s neck in Three Cooks Bakery in Lee, south London, on 10 May 2008.

Fahri was released on licence in June 2023 but was recalled in January 2025 after the Ministry of Justice reported that the Sun newspaper was publishing a story about him producing drill music including details about the murder.

The Sun newspaper had claimed that Fahri is masked drill artist TEN – who was showcased on BBC 1Xtra – and that one of his tracks, available on Spotify and YouTube, appeared to reference Jimmy’s death.

In a Parole Board decision summary document, it said Fahri had given evidence to the panel disputing the music “was all about his own life” but noted that since his recall he had accepted he was the artist known as TEN in the videos.

It added: “The panel was not persuaded that he had provided an open and honest account of his music and that his failure to disclose the music work to his probation officer had been a breach of his licence.”

Fahri claimed he had been unaware of the restrictions and he had breached his licence conditions because he had not been told about them, but the panel found this to be untrue from evidence from Fahri’s probation officer.

At a hearing on 16 December, Fahri and professional witnesses supported his re-release from prison, but it was opposed by the Justice Secretary.

The Parole Board panel was not satisfied that his release would be safe for the protection of the public.

It added: “The panel determined that Mr Fahri needed to reflect on his attitude, thinking and behaviour, so that he could better understand himself, including why he failed to be open and honest with the professionals managing his case.

“It considered that this could be achieved in an open prison and recommended that Mr Fahri should be progressed in this way.”

Open prisons have minimal security and allow eligible prisoners to spend most of their day out of prison on licence, for example to carry out work or education.

Justice Secretary David Lammy will decide whether to accept this recommendation for Fahri.