High Court quashes decision of the Parole Board

Wed, 29 Mar 2023

In R(Matthews) v Parole Board [2023] EWHC 694 (Admin) Fraser J quashed a decision of the Parole Board.

The Claimant was a prisoner serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection. He argued that the Parole Board had failed to demonstrate in its decision any balancing exercise which considered the substantial evidence that he should be transferred to open conditions. He also argued that the Parole Board was required to hold a further oral hearing, once new information concerning his credibility had been obtained by the panel, but had not been put to him in oral evidence. The Claimant was successful on both grounds and the decision has been quashed.

Stuart Withers represented the Claimant, instructed by Emma Ekpo at Reece Thomas Watson.

The judgment is available here: https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2023/694.html

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