Andrew Malkinson: Man who spent 17 years in jail for crime he didn't commit won't have to repay prison living costs

I can’t believe this is a thing the uk. I get it if the state does not want to pay reparations to this man (although they should) but this is another level. Glad it was decided correctly

This is the best summary I could come up with:

A man locked up for 17 years for a rape he did not commit has described a rule requiring him to cover living costs for his time spent in prison as "abhorrent" - as the UK's justice minister agreed to scrap it.

I hope Alex Chalk won't stop here in bringing in the changes we need to make our justice system safer for the innocent, and more accountable for its mistakes."

Previously, independent assessors could make deductions based on "saved living expenses" such as rent or mortgage payments, although this hasn't happened over the past decade, according to the Ministry of Justice.

Mr Malkinson's lawyer Emily Bolton, the director of charity law practice Appeal, said that the maximum award would equate to £58,824 per year he spent wrongly imprisoned - some £27,760 less than an MP's basic £86,584 salary.

Liberal Democrat justice spokesman Alistair Carmichael said the government must now review past cases "where people have been forced to pay for saved living expenses after being wrongfully convicted with the view to compensate these individuals fully."

To be eligible for a payment under the scheme, someone must apply for compensation within two years of being pardoned or having their conviction reversed as a result of the discovery of a newly discovered fact, which demonstrates "beyond reasonable doubt" they did not commit the offence.

I'm a bot and I'm open source!

Mr Chalk has updated the guidance, which dates back to 2006, to remove the deductions from future payments made under the scheme.

F'ing hell. If it's not the Tories doing bat shit stupid things ita Labour. Jaysus we deserve better.

PR now!

The accuser shoud pay.