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A father who was convicted of a mobile phone robbery 14 years ago is being returned to prison<\/a> on an indefinite jail term<\/a> described as \u201cpsychological torture\u201d.<\/p>\n Thomas White<\/a>, 43, previously set himself alight in desperation as his mental health crumbled over the open-ended sentence, which has been condemned by the United Nations<\/a> (UN).<\/p>\n Last October, his family won a six-year fight for him to be transferred<\/a> to a medium secure hospital for treatment. They have now learned he will be returned to a category B prison \u201cany day\u201d after just nine months of care.<\/p>\n His sister, Pastor Clara White, fears his mental health will rapidly deteriorate back in prison without a release date, adding: \u201cSo his torture starts all over again.\u201d<\/p>\n He was handed a controversial Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP)<\/a> sentence for street robbery of a mobile phone in 2012. A judge told him he must serve a minimum of two years, but he has now been incarcerated for 14 years and four months, his family say.<\/p>\n The open-ended punishments were scrapped in 2012, but not retrospectively, leaving thousands languishing in prison<\/a> without a release date for years beyond their tariff, including some for minor crimes. Once released, many find themselves trapped in a cycle of indefinite recall for minor breaches of strict licence conditions.<\/p>\n White\u2019s plight has formed part of a major complaint to the UN, which resulted in three special rapporteurs last week warning Britain is perpetrating \u201cserious human rights violations\u201d by failing to resentence almost 2,400 still trapped on the jail term. <\/p>\n A further 207 are serving their sentence in a secure hospital, often after their mental health deteriorated in prison, and 96 people have taken their own lives in custody. <\/p>\n In a strongly worded intervention, the UN said the jail terms have left prisoners trapped in a cycle of \u201cexcessive punishment, repeated recall, deteriorating mental health, and diminishing hope\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThese penalties involve prolonged uncertainty and cause serious psychological deterioration among prisoners, including an increased risk of self-harm and suicide. Such punishments may amount to psychological torture,\u201d the human rights experts added.<\/p>\n Pastor White had long campaigned for her brother\u2019s transfer to the unit in Northumberland \u2013 backed by The Independent \u2013 after he endured repeated mental health crises in prison, including setting himself alight<\/a> and smashing his face on the cell floor.<\/p>\n After being told he would go back to prison, she told The Independent: \u201cIt\u2019s like he\u2019s just had a bit of respite and that\u2019s about it.\u201d<\/p>\n She continued: \u201cThomas will get very poorly very quickly when sent back, because he hasn\u2019t improved, he\u2019s maybe slightly better. <\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think nine months is enough for a man to unravel and to start trusting and start speaking. <\/p>\n \u201cSo you punish a man because he\u2019s not fitting into your timescale of how long he should be there. So his torture starts all over again.\u201d<\/p>\n His transfer back to prison will mark his 14th move in as many years after he was repeatedly transferred to prisons across the country.<\/p>\n Doctors at the secure unit have concluded White has a number of mental health conditions.<\/p>\n![\"Thomas](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785078550_533_newFile.jpg\")
Thomas White is being returned to prison from hospital, his family says (Margaret White)<\/p>\n![\"Pastor](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785078551_939_newFile-6.jpg\")
Pastor Clara White and Lord David Blunkett, who has said he regrets bringing in IPP sentences under Tony Blair (White family)<\/p>\n
![\"UN](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2263993310...jpeg\")
UN special rapporteur on torture, Dr Alice Jill Edwards, has condemned IPP jail terms (AFP\/Getty)<\/p>\n