Man set for release from prison after serving 21 years for phone robbery

ByCharlie Buckland

BBC News

"It's like your son being killed - he's here but he's not."

Leroy Douglas was just 24 when he was jailed in 2005 for stealing a mobile phone and handed a minimum prison term of two-and-a-half years.

More than 20 years later, he is still locked up.

Leroy, who had a drug addiction, had a string of convictions for offences including petty crimes and shoplifting, before being sentenced for robbery and being given an indeterminate sentence of Imprisonment for Public Protection, external (IPP).

His family said this came as a "huge shock" as it meant indefinite detention. Now 45, he is set to be released in October - a decision that came weeks before Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced he would end IPPs before the end of this parliament.

Anthony Douglas said years of waiting had been "torture" for his son and his family as they remained in "limbo" over his future.

He added: "In that time he's lost his daughter, lost his cousin, lost my parents."

Introduced in 2005, IPPs were established to keep serious offenders, who were perceived to be a risk to the public, in prison.

They imposed a minimum sentence for offenders, but no maximum or end date, with criminals having to serve the minimum term before being considered for release by the parole board.

But this is not automatic.

They are also subject to licence conditions which they must follow or risk being recalled to prison once they are released.

IPPs were scrapped in 2012 due to criticism for being handed out for less serious crimes but it was not retrospective, meaning - as of July - there were about 2,400 people still in prison on IPP sentences, according to the United Nations, external.

However, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said there were 2,271 IPP prisoners in custody, as of 30 June.

The organisation, which wants an end to IPPs, said the sentence "violates serious human rights".

Anthony drew parallels between Leroy's sentence and offenders such as Jeffrey Gaffoor, who murdered Lynette White in one of Wales' most notorious crimes.

Gaffoor was was released from prison in 2025 after serving 21 years for stabbing the 20-year-old to death in 1992.

"Leroy stole a phone, how is it right?"

Human rights lawyer Karen Todner was instrumental in securing Leroy's release as he was one of four prisoners she submitted an application for the writ of Habeas Corpus for.

The writ, which requires a person detained by authorities be brought before a court so the legality of the detention may be examined, resulted in it being agreed their detention was unlawful.

Despite this, Todner, said Leroy's release conditions were "so stringent, his liberty is restricted".

His relatives are also unhappy as he will have to spend six months with an electronic tag, housed three hours away from them in Cardiff.

Anthony believes his son is being "set up to fail" as he feels Leroy needs to be around his family for his well being.

"It's like he's being taken out of the frying pan and into the fryer," he said.

Leory's sister Natalie Douglas has launched a petition for to him be housed closer to home, calling on the justice system to correct "part of the years' worth of oversight".

She said his family wanted to welcome him back with open arms and provide "the support system he never had while being lost in this unforgiving system".

"I have a lump in the back of my throat just speaking about it," Anthony said.

"I'm just astounded, 20 years they wouldn't let him out, but they still put conditions on it."

Leroy applied for parole five times while in prison, but was rejected each time due to what his family said was incomplete courses.

While going through addiction in the past, his family said he tested negative for drugs while in prison and did not have a history of violence.

Anthony added: "I want to know why is he being released so far from home, and can't come home to family.

"They're putting him with people from the same environment he's trying to leave behind."

Anthony said he asked the prison for answers about the conditions of his release, but got no response and feels Leroy has been "tortured" for something.

He added: "He went in as a kid and will come out as a man.

"He's going to need counselling, he's suffering from mental pain and been sent away from family."

The MoJ said: "It is right that IPP sentences were abolished and, as the prime minister and lord chancellor announced, we will set out plans to end the historic injustice of these sentences.

"This will take a cross-party approach to propose a way forward with public protection and victims at the heart of these reforms.

"As the IPP annual report shows, support has significantly improved for these offenders, with greater access to rehabilitation and mental health support."

The MoJ said the number of people serving IPP sentences in the community had been cut from 3,018 in December 2023 to 891 in December 2025.