A Perfect Storm

Mary and Martin Myer’s story. We also hear from two people who head up their unions, working with IPP prisoners on the front line: the prison officers and prisoner governors.

Martin Myers comes from an Irish Traveller family. They’re a minority group in the UK, often discriminated against. On the 8th March 2006, Martin was given an IPP sentence with a tariff of 19 months and 27 days. Apart from one stint of freedom for 10 weeks towards the end of 2023, he’s been locked away in prison. Today Sam meets Mary, Martin’s mother, to hear their story.

In 2006 Martin received his IPP sentence after he approached a young man in Luton, where he lived, and asked him for a cigarette. The man made a derogatory comment about travellers. Martin threatened to punch the young man if he didn’t give him the cigarette, the man ran away and reported Martin Myers to the police, saying he was carrying a small ‘spud’ knife.

Sam also meets Mark Fairhurst, National chair of the Prison Officers Association and Tom Wheatley, the newly appointed President of the Prison Governors Association. They discuss the underfunded and under-resourced prison system, prison conditions, mental health provisions for IPP prisoners and the aftermath of self-inflicted deaths. They both have strong words for the government with the general election on the horizon. Finally she hears how the campaign continues to fight for resentencing IPP prisoners, as Richard Garside from the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies explains.

Please be advised that this episode contains references to self-harm and suicide.

Get in touch on X, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram @Trapped_Pod

For more info about UNGRIPP visit: www.ungripp.com / @UNGRIPP

Thanks to The Howard League for Penal Reform @TheHowardLeague

Contributors in order of appearance:

Mary Myers, Mother of serving IPP prisoner Martin Myers

Ann McMaster, friend and support worker to Mary Myers

Mark Fairhurst, National chair of the Prison Officers Association

Tom Wheatley, President of the Prison Governors Association | @PGA_Prisons

Richard Garside, Director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies | @richardjgarside

Voices in Archive:

Sir Bob Neil, former chair of the Justice Select Committee | @neill_bob

Credits:

Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumadu

Executive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzg

Producer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERS

Consultant: Hank Rossi

A Zinc Media Production for the Institute of Now

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