Re Richmond (Review of Tariff)

The applicant, whom I shall refer to as BR, was born on 19 September 1993. On 17 February 2007 when he was 13 years old he was involved with four others in the killing of a 16 year old victim. The victim was lured to a quiet street on the pretext that he was to have a one-to-one fight with one of the assailants. The four then pursued him and he suffered a number of stab wounds, one of which was fatal penetrating the heart. Two of the five were convicted of murder, the other three of manslaughter. BR did not at his trial admit that he had stabbed the victim but subsequent reports indicate from what he said that he did. Whether he administered the fatal wound is not clear.

Despite his age, he had a bad record of offending which included offences of robbery and attempted robbery. He was part of a gang and seemed set on a life of crime. He was sentenced by the trial judge to a tariff of 15 years which was reduced on appeal to 13 years less 412 days spent on remand.

I can only advise reduction in his tariff if he has made exceptional and unforeseen progress during his sentence. The reports on him are favourable and he has clearly made progress. But that progress is no greater than would have been hoped. His latest Tariff Assessment report confirms his good progress but there is, it is said, offence focussed work which is still needed in a custodial setting.

It is clear from the reports that he does not qualify at this stage for any tariff reduction. His tariff expires on 18 March 2020. At present there will be no alteration.