The first public hearing of a parole board in UK history is going ahead today - but only for the few lucky enough to get seats. Convicted murderer Russell Causley, who killed his wife Carole Packman in 1985, is the first prisoner to have a public parole hearing in what the Ministry of Justice calls ‘a major step in opening up the parole process’.

But when the Gazette called to find out where the session would be held and how to attend, we were told there was no longer any room. It seems there are only 32 spaces - 16 for press and 16 for members of the public - and no streaming or recording of the hearing will be available for those who miss out. Apparently all the places for Causley's hearing were snapped up shortly after it was announced in September. 

The government says public hearings will be a ‘major step’ in opening up the parole process. They follow calls for greater transparency after the subsequently reversed 2018 decision to release black cab rapist John Worboys. 

In a statement heralding the move, justice secretary Dominic Raab MP said: 'Pulling back the curtain on the parole process by allowing hearings to be heard in public is a major step forward for victims who want to see justice being done first-hand. It marks the first step in our reforms to overhaul the system – putting victims and public protection front and centre of the process.'

To be fair, the MoJ has to find some way to limit the numbers: we wouldn’t want to hold hearings in a football stadium, which is the scale of crowd some cases could attract. However much that might appeal to certain past home secretaries. 

 

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