Tories call for probe into surge of mentally unfit criminal defendants
The Conservative Party is urging an urgent review of the sharp rise in defendants deemed unfit to plead on mental-health grounds, citing public-safety and victim-justice concerns.
Conservative MPs, led by Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy, have demanded an immediate inquiry into the growing tally of criminal defendants ruled unfit to plead because of mental-health issues. Their analysis of HM Prisons and Probation Service data shows the figure rose from 37 in 2019 to 72 in the most recent year, after a dip to 58 in 2023. Timothy warned that this trend threatens public safety and may deny victims proper justice, questioning why more serious offenders are receiving hospital orders instead of criminal sentences.
The party pointed to the case of Ayodele Jamgbadi, a 30-year-old from Ilford, who was found unfit after being charged with murdering railway worker Jorge Ortega, who died from injuries sustained in the attack. A jury at Inner London Crown Court concluded in a trial of facts that Jamgbadi had delivered the fatal punch. The Tories are calling for a thorough review to verify the legitimacy of such hospital diversions.
Why it matters
It raises concerns about whether dangerous offenders are avoiding criminal trials through mental-health rulings.
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