David Lammy signs off £240k for Islamist killer over human rights | UK | News
David Lammy has been revealed to have signed up for more than £240,000 in taxpayer-funded compensation and legal costs for the double murderer. This comes after the Supreme Court ruled that Fuad Awale’s treatment in prison violated his human rights.
Awale, who has also called for the release of Islamist hate preacher Abu Qatada, is serving a life sentence for shooting two men in the head during a 2011 drug dispute. Awale later helped take a prison officer hostage, which led to him being transferred to a special unit for dangerous prisoners. He was subsequently prevented from contact with other prisoners, including one of the men who killed Fusilier Lee Rigby at Woolwich in 2013.
However, the Supreme Court ruled in 2024 that this was a violation of the right to private and family life, Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
Awale claimed he suffered “severe depression” after being denied access to other inmates.
Mr Lammy, who was both Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister, agreed to pay £7,500 compensation for Awale and settle the legal bill of £234,000 Telegram.
The payment was disclosed in a letter to Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick. Mr Jenrick described the costs as a “disgusting joke”.
He told The Telegraph: “This is a double murderer and extremist who took a prison officer hostage.
“This is the reality of the ECHR: it prioritizes the ‘right’ of terrorists to associate with other extremists over the safety of our prison officers.
“Workers are bowing to terrorists and the human rights brigade. They need to pass emergency legislation to remove these monsters from the ECHR immediately. If they don’t, we will as soon as Parliament returns. If they don’t, they are choosing lawyers over the safety of prison officers and the British public.”
The prison service reportedly considered Awale to have “extremist beliefs” after Qatada requested his release.
Mr Lammy suggested the Government was reviewing whether the law needed to be amended to prevent violent criminals from using the ECHR as “an impediment to our protection of national security”.
In his letter to Mr Jenrick he also said ministers were “actively considering” changes to the legal framework to ensure it remains “robust, relevant and credible” for separating dangerous prisoners.
This includes reviewing how the ECHR is implemented, The Telegraph reported.
