There is no government scheme to support murder victims’ families who want to attend UK parole hearings of their relative’s killer.
This has been confirmed by Justic Minister Jane Poole-Wilson, in response to a written Tynwald question from Onchan MHK Rob Callister.
Callister, who tabled the question before he was appointed Housing Minister, wanted to know whether “in her opinion, in circumstances where a person convicted of a murder in the island is serving a custodial sentence in the UK, the IoM Government should provide financial assistance to support the family of the person who was murdered travelling to the UK to attend a Parole Board hearing”.
Poole-Wilson said her department (of Home Affairs) recognised the “significant and continuing impact” serious crime could have on victims and their families, particularly when they had to engage with the justice system years after the offence.
But she confirmed: “There is currently no general scheme under which the department meets the travel and accommodation costs of victims or their families who wish to attend parole hearings in the United Kingdom.”
She added: “Victims and their families are now able to participate in parole hearings remotely, enabling them to engage with the process without necessarily having to travel to the United Kingdom.
“The department would be happy to work with Victim Support and the Parole Board in England and Wales or Scotland to facilitate this.”