HOME SECRETARY ANNOUNCES NEW APPOINTMENTS TO THE PAROLE BOARD

9 Nov 2001 05:20 PM

Home Secretary David Blunkett has announced the latest appointments to the Parole Board. The Board advises the Home Secretary, and takes decisions on his behalf, on the early release of determinate or life sentence prisoners.

There are now 112 members of the Parole Board, who represent a wide cross-section of the community, including the judiciary, probation service, psychiatrists and criminologists.

The 24 new appointments to the Board are:

FULL-TIME INDEPENDENT MEMBER Ms Josephine Dobry, (49) Currently a full-time member of the Police Complaints Authority. Previously a barrister, freelance journalist, and radio reporter and producer.

JUDICIAL MEMBERS Judge J Graham Boal, (57) Has been a permanent Judge at the Central Criminal Court for five years, having sat as a recorder for 11 years. He is also Vice Chairman Criminal Bar Association, Chairman of the Trustees of the Orchid Cancer Appeal, and a member of the Prison Reform Trust.

Judge Stephen Robbins, (53) Has sat as a recorder for seven years and subsequently as judge for seven years. Has been president of Mental Health Review Tribunals at Broadmoor and the South East for six years

Judge W Gareth Hawkesworth, (51) Has been a circuit judge for two years, and has served at the Bar since 1972. Judge Hawkesworth has experience on the South Eastern Circuit Administration panel, and is an Executive of Cambridge Relate and Cambridge Neighbourhood Law Centre. He is also a member of the Legal Aid Committee.

Judge Keith C Cutler, (50) Has sat as a Circuit Judge for five years, currently at Winchester.

Judge Kerry M P MacGill, (51) Judge MacGill is Youth Justice Liaison Judge at Leeds Crown Court. He was appointed to the Bench in 2000 following 25 years as a solicitor and three years as the Criminal Law and Legal Aid practice member of the Law Society Council. He is currently a governor of Bradford Grammar School.

PSYCHIATRIST MEMBERS Dr. Claire Barkley, (41) Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, The Foundation NHS Trust (Stafford) since 1996. Also Senior Clinical Lecturer at University of Keele and visiting Psychiatrist to HMP Drake Hall.

Dr. David Mawson, (54) Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist in Somerset and Parole Board member since 1995. Previous posts include Medical Director of Stockton Hall Hospital, consultant forensic psychiatrist at Broadmoor Hospital and medical director of Thornford Park. He has also filled locum posts at Maudsley and Broadmoor.

Dr. Ann F Barker, (59) Dr Barker is a consultant forensic psychiatrist, and has worked at the Bracton Centre (medium secure unit) and Broadmoor.

Dr. Lawrence Chesterman, (48) Consultant forensic psychiatrist, Three Bridges Regional Secure Unit. Previously lecturer in clinical forensic psychiatry, at the Institute of Psychiatry.

Dr. C Chris Hunter, (51) Has a wide range of experience of forensic psychiatry practice in Wales, including advising the Chief Medical Officer at the Welsh Office (now Welsh Assembly). Dr Hunter has already been a part time psychiatrist member of the Parole Board since 1995.

Dr. Adarsh Kaul, (45) Consultant forensic psychiatrist, Nottingham Forensic Service since May 2000. Dr Kaul has been a visiting psychiatrist at a number of prisons and secure units in the East Midlands, and has also been a member of the Leicestershire and Rutland Public Protection Panel. He is a member of the Executive Committee, Trent Division of the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Dr. Richard O''Flynn, (43) Consultant Psychiatrist at the West Suffolk Hospital since 1989, Dr O''Flynn also holds a number of other consultancy posts in the field. He was also visiting consultant psychiatrist at HMP Highpoint for six years.

PROBATION MEMBERS Mrs Jane Geraghty, (50) Jane Geraghty has been Chief Officer of the Humberside Probation Service since May 2000. She has previously held ACPO posts in South Yorkshire and Inner London, the Home Office Crime Prevention Unit, and also served with Probation Services in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Middlesex. She is also a non-executive member of Nottinghamshire Health Care Trust.

Mr Stephen Murphy, (48) Mr Murphy is the Chief Probation Officer for Northumbria, and has previous experience in the Hampshire and Inner London Probation Services. He has been a part time probation member of the Parole Board since 1995 and served as a member of the Parole Board Advisory Committee, and of the ACOP Anti Racism & Residential Services Committee and its National Council.

Mrs Diana Fulbrook, (52) Chief Officer for the National Probation Service in the Wiltshire Area. Previously an ACPO for Warwickshire Probation Service.

CRIMINOLOGIST MEMBERS Dr. Anne Worrall, (51) Reader in Criminology, Keele University, Visiting Honorary Research Fellow, Crime Research Centre, University of Western Australia. Previously a member (some-time chair) of Board of Visitors HMP&YOI Drake Hall, a lecturer in social work and a probation officer.

Professor Roy King, (61) Has wide ranging experience of advising on aspects of criminal justice reform both within and outside Government, including Amnesty International. Currently Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Wales and a member of the Close Supervision Centres Monitoring (Advisory) Group.

Dr. Carol Hedderman, (43) Deputy Director Criminal Policy Research Unit, South Bank University. Previously, Home Office Research and Planning Unit, most recently as Head of Community Penalties Research. She has experience of research into mentally disordered offenders and was seconded to the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice.

Professor Andrew Rutherford, (61) Professor in Law and Criminal Policy, University of Southampton. Previously chair, Howard League for Penal Reform. Prison governor (1962-68; 1970-73).

INDEPENDENT MEMBERS Mrs Josephine Turnbull, (55) Member of Animal Welfare Council and Chairman of the Northumbria Regional Flood Defence Committee. She is also a member of the County Durham Probation Committee, a Non Executive member of County of Durham & Darlington Health Authority; a magistrate and a part time member of the Parole Board. Previously member of Boards of Visitors at HMP Frankland and HMYOI Deerbolt.

Mr Peter Palmer, (64) An interviewer and reader on Radio Selby Talking News for the Visually Handicapped, Mr Palmer is also a serving magistrate, part-time member of the Parole Board and a Freeman of the City of York. Previously Regional Manager of BP Oil and a chairman of the Citizen''s Advice Management Committee he also has experience of work in the NHS.

Mr David Mylan, (53) A solicitor with his own company exclusively dealing in mental health law, especially representing restricted patients at Mental Health Review Tribunals. He is also a part-time legal member of Mental Health Review Tribunals.

Mrs Sylvia Peach, (58) Magistrate and part-time member of the Parole Board. Previously member (some time Chair) of HMP Winchester BoV, chairman of the Lord Chancellor''s Advisory Committee (North East Hampshire) and served as a member of Government review on the role of the BoV.

A full list of members is attached.

Notes to Editors: 1. The Parole Board was established under the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) in 1967. It is an executive, non-departmental public body appointed by the Home Secretary to advise him, and to take decisions on his behalf, on the early release of determinate or life sentence prisoners under the Criminal Justice Act 1991 and Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 respectively. The Board is also responsible for recommending the recall to prison of determinate and life sentence prisoners who breach their licence conditions. Further information about the work of the Board, including a copy of the last Annual Report, can be found on the Board''s website - www.paroleboard.gov.uk.

2. The requirements and qualifications for Membership of the Board are laid out in the Criminal Justice Act 1991, Schedule 5. This states:

''The Board shall include amongst its members A person who holds or has held judicial office, A registered medical practitioner who is a psychiatrist, A person appearing to the Secretary of State to have knowledge and experience of the supervision or after-care of discharged prisoners, A person appearing to the Secretary of State to have made a study of the causes of delinquency or the treatment of offenders.''

3. The current complement of the Board comprises a part- time Chairman, two full-time members, 23 part-time judicial members, 20 part-time psychiatrists, nine part-time probation members, five part-time criminologists and 52 part-time independent members. The Board members are supported by a Chief Executive and about 40 other staff.

4. The 24 members were appointed from 30 September 2001. Members (other than the Chairman and full-time members) are paid on a fee per task undertaken basis. Ms Dobry will be paid #51,000.

5. All those appointed this year have a three year term of appointment and may be re-appointed for a further term.

6. The 112 members of the Parole Board comprise of 71 men and 41 women.

7. Home Office News Releases are available on the internet at: www.homeoffice.gov.uk

PAROLE BOARD MEMBERSHIP - October 2001

DATE OF APPOINTMENT

Chairman David Hatch 1 October (November) 2000

High Court Judges The Hon Sir Richard Tucker 1 July 1996 The Hon Mr Justice Scott Baker 15 February 1999 The Hon Mr Justice Gage 21 February 2001

Crown Court Judges His Hon Judge Maddison 1 July 1996 His Hon Judge Matthewman 1 July 1996 His Hon Judge Stroyan 1 July 1996 His Hon Judge Griffiths 1 July 1996 His Hon Judge Coltart 1 September 1997 His Hon Judge Viljoen 1 September 1997 His Hon Judge Young 1 September 1997 His Hon Judge Connor 1 August 1998 His Hon Judge Hindley 1 August 1998 His Hon Judge Lawrence 1 August 1998 His Hon Judge McNaught 1 August 1998 His Hon Judge Pugsley 1 August 1998 His Hon Judge Campbell 1 July 2000 His Hon Judge Kamil 1 July 2000 His Hon Judge Sander 1 July 2000 His Hon Judge Boal 30 September 2001 His Hon Judge Robbins 30 September 2001 His Hon Judge Hawkesworth 30 September 2001 His Hon Judge Cutler 30 September 2001 His Hon Judge Macgill 30 September 2001

Psychiatrists Dr C Berry* 1 June 1995 Dr I Keitch 1 July 1996 Mr H McClelland 1 July 1996 Mr G Shetty 1 July 1996 Dr D Kohen 1 September 1997 Dr D Tamlyn 1 September 1997 Dr S Davenport 1 August 1998 Dr J Mackenzie 1 August 1998 Dr A J Sheikh 1 August 1998 Dr S Wood 1 August 1998 Dr M Lock 1 July 2000 Dr B Oyebode 1 July 2000 Dr M Swan 1 July 2000 Dr C Hunter 30 September 2001 Dr A Kaul 30 September 2001 Dr L Chesterman 30 September 2001 Dr D Mawson 30 September 2001 Dr A Barker 30 September 2001 Dr C Barkley 30 September 2001 Dr R O''Flynn 30 September 2001

Probation Miss P Buller 1 July 1996 Mr C Wheeler 1 September 1997 Mr R Mathers 1 August 1998 Ms P McPhee 1 July 2000 Dr S Goode 1 July 2000 Mr J Harding 1 July 2000 Mr S Murphy 30 September 2001 Ms D Fulbrook 30 September 2001 Ms J Geraghty 30 September 2001

Criminologists Mr N Stone 1 September 1997 Prof A Rutherford 30 September 2001 Prof R King 30 September 2001 Dr C Hedderman 30 September 2001 Dr A Worrall 30 September 2001

Independents Mr M Weatheritt 17 November 1998 Ms J Dobry 30 September 2001 Dr A B C Barker 20 September 1993 Mrs J Coward 1 July 1996 Mrs V Horman 1 July 1996 Miss S Hubbard 1 July 1996 Mrs L March 1 July 1996 Miss E Norton 1 July 1996 Mr G Park 1 July 1996 Mrs M Kane 1 July 1996 Mr T Russell 1 July 1996 Mr J Sadlik 1 July 1996 Mrs J Summers 1 July 1996 Mr R Doven 1 September 1997 Mr P Grattan 1 September 1997 Mrs D Hayle 1 September 1997 Mr M Hursey 1 September 1997 Mrs W Lloyd 1 September 1997 Mr A Price-Jones 1 September 1997 Mr D Swaysland 1 September 1997 Mr K Appiah 1 August 1998 Mr M Hennessey 1 August 1998 Mrs L Hilton 1 August 1998 Ms A King 1 August 1998 Mr A Pembroke 1 August 1998 Mr M Pirani 1 August 1998 Mrs J Pitchers 1 August 1998 Mr J Staples 1 August 1998 Mr D Brown 1 July 1999 Mr A Corless 1 July 1999 Mrs R Draycott 1 July 1999 Mrs B Large 1 July 1999 Mrs H Morgan 1 July 1999 Dr R Osborn 1 July 1999 Mr E Parry 1 July 1999 Mrs P Rance 1 July 1999 Mr A Reeve 1 July 1999 Mrs D Tolan 1 July 1999 Ms T West 1 July 1999 Mr A Whiffen 1 July 1999 Mr D Whitfield 1 July 1999 Mr P Wilshaw 1 July 1999 Mr T Cook 1 July 2000 Ms A Montgomery 1 July 2000 Mr P Nicholson 1 July 2000 Ms L Addyman 1 July 2000 Mr A Khan 1 July 2000 Mr R Lipscombe 1 July 2000 Ms A Brady 1 July 2000 Ms T Cockrell 1 July 2000 Mrs J Turnbull 30 September 2001 Mr P Palmer 30 September 2001 Mr D Mylan 30 September 2001 Mrs S Peach 30 September 2001

* Dr Berry is due to leave the Board on 31 December 2001.