Home / Crime and Justice / IPP Sentence: A Path to Death in Prison
IPP Sentence: A Path to Death in Prison
11 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Taylor Atkinson died after serving nearly 13 years on an outlawed IPP sentence.
- His partner pleaded with prison officers for constant supervision before his death.
- An inquest jury found the IPP sentence a significant factor in his despair.
Taylor Atkinson, a transgender prisoner, died by suicide after serving almost 13 years on an outlawed Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentence. His partner, Sam Faulder, voiced fears to prison officers about his plan to inflict a fatal injury, pleading for constant watch or shared accommodation, but was reportedly ignored.
The inquest jury recorded Taylor's death as a suicide, highlighting the IPP sentence as the "most significant factor" contributing to his despair. They found that constant supervision might have prevented his death, which occurred on July 9, 2022, at HMP Eastwood Park.
This tragedy underscores the devastating impact of IPP sentences, which were abolished in 2012 but continue to trap thousands without release dates. Taylor's case illustrates the cruel irony where mental health struggles, exacerbated by the sentence, became a barrier to release, creating a cycle of hopelessness.
