An Islamist killer who also took a prison officer hostage while behind bars has now won £240,000 of taxpayer funding after he claimed that the jail breached his human rights, citing that he became depressed in jail.
Fuad Awale, a convicted double murderer, was paid out £7,500 in compensation and the taxpayer will pay £234,000 in legal bills after David Lammy, the UK's Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, agreed to send the payment to Awale.
Awale had been transferred to a segregated unit while in prison, meant for the country's most dangerous criminals. He was sent to the unit after he and another inmate held a prison officer hostage, threatening to kill the officer unless Britain released extremist Abu Qatada.
He claimed that the segregation had violated his rights to a private life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, per the Telegraph. He claimed to suffer "severe depression" because he was denied seeing other inmates. Awale had asked to be able to see one of the extremist killers of Fusilier Lee Rigby during his prison stay, but was denied.
The judge ruled in Awale's favor, saying, “The degree of interference with the claimant’s private life which has resulted from his removal from association has been of some significance and duration.”
Robert Jenrick, who is the shadow justice secretary, said that ruling in favor of Awale may open up a flood of terrorists believing that they can take police officers in prison hostage in order to get what they want. “It’s a sick joke that taxpayers are handing this man £7,500 in compensation and footing a legal bill of over £230,000. This is a double murderer and extremist who took a prison officer hostage,” Jenrick said.
Fuad Awale, a convicted double murderer, was paid out £7,500 in compensation and the taxpayer will pay £234,000 in legal bills after David Lammy, the UK's Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, agreed to send the payment to Awale.
Awale had been transferred to a segregated unit while in prison, meant for the country's most dangerous criminals. He was sent to the unit after he and another inmate held a prison officer hostage, threatening to kill the officer unless Britain released extremist Abu Qatada.
He claimed that the segregation had violated his rights to a private life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, per the Telegraph. He claimed to suffer "severe depression" because he was denied seeing other inmates. Awale had asked to be able to see one of the extremist killers of Fusilier Lee Rigby during his prison stay, but was denied.
The judge ruled in Awale's favor, saying, “The degree of interference with the claimant’s private life which has resulted from his removal from association has been of some significance and duration.”
Robert Jenrick, who is the shadow justice secretary, said that ruling in favor of Awale may open up a flood of terrorists believing that they can take police officers in prison hostage in order to get what they want. “It’s a sick joke that taxpayers are handing this man £7,500 in compensation and footing a legal bill of over £230,000. This is a double murderer and extremist who took a prison officer hostage,” Jenrick said.
