Saturday 1 February 2014

Victorious Human Rights "Career Criminal" Back Behind Bars


A "career criminal" who won a landmark human rights case against the government - blocking the Justice Secretary's right to refuse his parole - is back behind bars after violently robbing an antique shop.

Wayne Thomas Black, 46, had recently been released from a twenty-four year sentence, imposed for a violent kidnapping and subsequent escape from a prison van when he struck again.

While serving that twenty-four year sentence Black took the government to the Court of Appeal, which ruled his continued incarceration at the request of the Justice Secretary was a breach of Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

This was despite the robber being described in court as "ruthless and dangerous" and deemed by the government to be a continuing danger to members of the public. 

After a three-week trial at top-security Woolwich Crown Court Black, of Rawstorne Street, Finsbury was convicted of robbery and possession of a firearm and sentenced to ten years imprisonment.

Wearing a crash helmet and helped by an unknown accomplice Black walked into the shop in Camden Passage, Islington at 1.30pm on November 26, 2012 and threatened the owner with a small revolver.

The terrified victim was bound with gaffer tape and the defendant helped himself to expensive silver antiques while his accomplice acted as a look-out.

Flying Squad officers forensically linked Black to the scene and mobile phone records also placed him in the locality and he was arrested and charged seven week later.

Detective Chief Inspector Harry Hennigan said: "Wayne Black used violent behaviour to threaten a defenceless shop owner during this robbery. I am sure it is only by chance that no one was seriously injured.

"Black was described as a 'career criminal' during court proceedings. This lengthy prison sentence shows that the courts take this type of offence seriously and those arrested by police will feel the full force of the law."

In July 1995 Black received twenty years imprisonment for the carefully-planned robbery of a pawnbroker's shop in Golders Green in 1993 when a member of the shop's staff and her mother were handcuffed, blindfolded and held hostage overnight in their home before the £200,000 raid.

He was convicted of conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping, robbery and false imprisonment and was given an additional four years in January 1996 for escaping from a prison van en route from the Old Bailey while armed with a razor blade lodged into a toothbrush.

After serving approximately half of that sentence the Parole Board recommended Black's release on licence in May 2006, but this was blocked by the then Home Secretary, who held the power of veto before the position of Justice Minister was established.

As a result Black launched the successful appeal and government ministers lost the right to prevent the parole of prisoner's sentenced to fifteen years or more, excluding lifers, who they believed were still a danger to the public.

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