Recent shocking instances of babies dying in prison have shone a light on the terrible conditions endured by pregnant and post-natal offenders in custody
In this week’s NLJ, Zoë Chapman, Red Lion Chambers, relates the terrifying case of Rianna Cleary, aged 18, who gave birth to her daughter alone in her cell in HMP Bronzefield. Her calls for help went unanswered and her baby died. This harrowing incident, and others, have increased calls to end the imprisonment of pregnant offenders.
Chapman writes: ‘As of 1 April 2024, the majority of offence-specific sentencing guidelines include a dedicated mitigating factor: “pregnancy, childbirth and post-natal care”. The question is, does this go far enough to protect the rights of pregnant and post-natal offenders?’
Chapman reviews the issues, highlights the lack of available statistics, and makes a compelling case for a more proportionate and caring approach to pregnant and post-natal offenders.
