European judges ruling 'travesty'

The ruling by European judges that ordering murderers in Britain to spend the rest of their lives in jail breaches their human rights was described as a "travesty."

Paul Nuttall, local UKIP MEP, reacting to the decision of the European Court of Human Rights, also said, "I hope this outrageous ruling is firmly ignored by our government.

"Theresa May has already said that something has to be done to address the 'crazy interpretation of our human rights laws' and has stated that 'all options, including withdrawing from the Convention altogether, should remain on the table.'

"But I fear that is more empty rhetoric from the Conservatives as we cannot withdraw from the Convention without first quitting the European Union and despite David Cameron's mealy-mouthed words he does not want to leave it all."

Mr Nuttall's comments follow the judgement by the European Court of Human Rights on the case of three British murderers who complained that their life sentences amounted to 'inhuman and degrading treatment as they had no hope of release' under the European Convention on Human Rights.

The ECHR ruled that a life sentence was not incompatible with Article 3 of the Convention but 'there had to be both a possibility of release and a possibility of a review'.

The court found that whole life sentences without review are therefore in breach of the prisoners' human rights.