A RECRUITMENT campaign in the North of England has seen a record number of Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates appointed to become Parole Board members.
These appointments triple the number and will bring the board’s BAME diversity to nearly 13 per cent.
Prior to the campaign, fewer than five per cent of the board’s members identified as being from a BAME background.
Following an extensive outreach campaign, 53 independent members will join the board, 48 per cent of whom are from a BAME background, a Parole Board statement read.
In separate campaigns, three retired judges and 20 psychologists, including 17 per cent from a BAME background, were also appointed from across England and Wales for their specialist skills.
The board has been calling for a more diverse membership that better reflects the community it serves and brings a mix of perspectives and experiences to decision-making.
It was highlighted in the review undertaken by David Lammy MP that a lack of diversity can impact the confidence and trust in the Criminal Justice System.
Commenting on the success of this campaign, Caroline Corby, Chair of the Parole Board, said: “I am delighted that we have taken significant steps to improve the diversity of our membership. It is vital that we represent the community that we serve to continue to increase public confidence in our decision-making.
“This campaign was only the first step, and we hope to continue to build on our success when we next recruit, anticipated to be in the Midlands in 2020.”
The role of Parole Board members is to keep the public safe by making impartial, risk-based decisions about the release of prisoners, who have served the punishment part of their sentence.
Members will only release someone when they assess that it is safe to do so and when they are satisfied that effective risk management arrangements are in place.
Members come from a variety of backgrounds and are independent public appointees, who are selected through a rigorous recruitment process.
Once appointed, they will receive extensive training and mentoring to ensure they are properly equipped to make these challenging decisions.
Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in northwest of London, in July 2024. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Crossbow murderer found guilty of raping ex-girlfriend
A 26-YEAR-OLD man who murdered three women in a crossbow and stabbing attack has been found guilty of raping one of them, his ex-girlfriend, a British court ruled on Thursday.
Kyle Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in Bushey, northwest of London, in July 2024.
The attack led to a manhunt before Clifford was found injured hours later in a north London cemetery.
A jury at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday convicted Clifford of raping 25-year-old Louise Hunt before killing her.
His sentencing for all the crimes is scheduled for Tuesday.
Clifford had admitted to murdering Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters Louise and Hannah, 28. He had also pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and possessing offensive weapons but denied raping Louise.
During the trial, the court heard that after killing Carol Hunt, Clifford waited for an hour before attacking Louise, tying her up, raping her, and then killing her with a crossbow. He later killed Hannah when she returned home from work.
The prosecution described Clifford, a former soldier, as committing a "violent, sexual act of spite" and said he was "enraged" after Louise ended their 18-month relationship. They told the court that he had "carefully planned" the attack.
Less than 24 hours before the killings, Clifford had searched for a podcast by social media influencer Andrew Tate, according to the prosecution. They argued that the murders were driven by the "violent misogyny promoted" by Tate.
Justice Joel Bennathan called Clifford’s crimes "dreadful" and "almost unspeakable".
(With inputs from AFP)