A High Court judge is set to rule on a bid by Essex murderer Jeremy Bamber to bring legal action over a refusal by the prison service to downgrade him from maximum security.
The 59-year-old is serving a full-life tariff after being convicted of murdering his adoptive parents, sister and nephews at White House Farm, Tolleshunt D’Arcy, near Maldon, in August 1985.
Bamber has always maintained his innocence and claims his sister, Sheila ‘Bambi’ Caffell, who suffered from schizophrenia, killed parents Nevill and June and her twin six-year-old boys Nicholas and Daniel before turning the gun on herself.
Bamber is now pursuing a High Court challenge over a decision taken in March by the director of the long-term and high security estate - part of the prisons and probation service - not to downgrade him from a Category A prisoner, or to direct that an oral hearing on the issue take place.
Category A prisoners are considered the most dangerous to the public and held in maximum security conditions.
At a remote hearing in October, lawyers for Bamber asked Mr Justice Julian Knowles to grant permission for a full hearing of Bamber’s challenge, arguing that the decision was “unreasonable”.
The judge is due to give his ruling at 10.30am today.
MORE: Murderer Jeremy Bamber: New White House Farm ITV drama is ‘a disgrace’The Ministry of Justice is opposing Bamber’s action, which is the latest in a long-running battle to clear his name.
He had an appeal against his convictions dismissed by the Court of Appeal in 2002, and also had a High Court challenge to the Criminal Cases Review Commission’s (CCRC) refusal to refer his case for another appeal rejected in 2012.
Bamber is in the process of pursuing a fresh application to the CCRC.
An ITV television series dramatising the murders aired in January this year, and was criticised by Bamber.
He labelled White House Farm “a disgrace” - but ITV highlighted the “meticulous research” which went into making the drama.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here