Tariffs

21 November 2001 - 09.45 am
Court 4
Royal Courts of Justice

The decision of the Lord Chief Justice on tariff in the case of Lee Carlton Lawrence in accordance with the Practice Direction dated 27 July 2000 (The Times 9 August 2000)

1. Lee Carlton Lawrence was convicted of murder on 15 January 1999 and was sentenced to be detained during Her Majesty's pleasure. Lawrence was born on the 13 January 1982 and at the time of the offence he was almost 16 and a half.

2. The offence was committed after Lawrence and five other teenagers had been taunting two drunken men who they had come across sitting on a bench. Apparently for no reason, Lawrence produced a knife from his back pocket and stabbed the deceased four times: once in the stomach, twice on the back and once in the back upper arm.

3. The trial judge, His Honour Judge Boal, recommended a tariff of 10 to 12 years. The Lord Chief Justice recommended tariff of 10 years in view of Lawrence's age. The Home Secretary fixed the tariff at 10 years. In deciding to remove the restriction on publicity, the trial judge said; that "this was indeed, ... an act of wanton unprovoked violence. It is precisely the type of street violence, committed by young men who carry knives and then use them quite gratuitously, which the court must do everything in their power to deter."

4. I have read the submissions made on behalf of the offender by Alan Tyrell QC. In view of those submissions I make it clear that I regard my task as to consider whether the existing tariffs should be reduced in view of the progress an offender has made in detention. The most recent submissions indicate that the offence was not premeditated and he has the support of family.

5. A report prepared for the purposes of this review indicates that Lawrence while in detention has received 17 adjudications for incidents, some of which involve use of violence. It is said that he now recognises that he has let himself down by his behaviour in prison and he wishes to address his problem areas. "However, ongoing problems with his behaviour, and his inability to see things through, indicate that he is not learning from his experience".

6. The deceased's brother required counselling after the offence. He still suffers from depression. The deceased's parents constantly think of their son.

Conclusion

7. There is no material before me which would justify my reducing the tariff in this case. Accordingly the tariff remains at 10 years. I draw to the attention of the Home Secretary the submission of counsel, Mr Tyrell, that this is a case which would benefit from being kept under review.