Violent criminals will lose the right to access benefits support through the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) if Labour wins Thursday’s General Election, according to a party spokesperson.
This policy announcement comes after the news that Nottingham murderer Valdo Calocane is among the dozens of offenders residing in a secure hospital who are claiming state support, such as Universal Credit.
A Freedom of Information (FoI) carried out by The Telegraph found that Calocane and almost 80 killers detained at Ashworth secure hospital in Merseyside are receiving thousands of pounds in Universal Credit, and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
In response, the hospital has claimed it is “standard practice” for killers like Calocane to receive DWP benefits because they have not been handed prison sentences.
These individuals are instead treated as if they were patients suffering from a mental disorder.
In comparison, those serving time in prison are not able to claim DWP benefit support.
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As it stands, Universal Credit comes to £393.45 for those who are single and over 25 while couples get £617.60.
Hypothetically, someone residing in a secure hospital could get as much as £93,000 over two decades under the current benefit payment rate.
This money would not need to be spent on housing or utility costs as this is already being covered by the state.
Nicola Edgington, who killed her mother, claimed £8,000 in back payments from the DWP on release after three years in a secure psychiatric unit. Edington later went on to kill a woman in London following her release.
Originally charged with the murders of students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kuma, and 65-year-old Ian Coates, Calocane’s charges downgraded by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to manslaughter due to his diminished responsibility.
After this, he was given an indefinite hospital order in lieu of time in prison as he was judged to be in the “grips of a severe psychotic episode” on June 13 when he killed his victims.
Attorney General Victoria Prentis was able a review of the “unduly lenient” sentence by the Court of Appeal.
However, judges opted to uphold the original ruling on the basis that there was “no error” to be found in law.
If his sentence had been upgraded to a jail sentence, Calocane would have been left unable to claim benefits support.
Ahead of July 4’s election, the Labour Party is hoping to look tough on criminals and those taking advantage of the benefits system.
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A spokesperson for the party told The Telegraph: “If we are privileged to come into power, Labour would urgently look at this case, including talking to the victims’ families.”
Mel Stride, the Work and Pensions Secretary, is reportedly “very concerned” about the case and has ordered a review into Calocane’s case.
Emma Webber, Barnaby’s mother, spoke on behalf of the victims’ families and asserted that the UK’s “criminal justice system is broken”.
She added: “We support any incoming government to address these as a matter of urgency.”
