Dominic Raab has accused serial killer Levi Bellfield of trying to use taxpayer cash to fund a wedding legal battle in prison. Millie Dowler, 13 Bellfield, 54, a murderer including, said he would use legal aid if the Justice Department banned him from marrying. But the Attorney General denounced the scheme and vowed to change the law to prevent Britain’s worst murderers and rapists from marrying in prison.
Raab has promised to prevent people serving life sentences from tying the knot, but the move could create a new confrontation with European judges.
Downing Street confirmed that details of the planned legislation would be announced “in due course” and said it would be “highly inappropriate” for such criminals to be able to marry while incarcerated.
The Deputy Prime Minister branded Belfield’s bid to use taxpayers’ money for his fight “wrong.”
The 54-year-old former nightclub bouncer is serving two life sentences for the murders of 19-year-old Marsha McDonnell, 22-year-old Amelie Dragrange, and Millie.
Raab told LBC’s Nick Ferrari at breakfast:
“I have questions about the risks of marrying a heinous criminal like Levi Bellfield this time around. I promise to do what I can to prevent that.”
Asked if he could do it soon enough to stop Belfield’s bid, he said, “I’m going to move soon.
Belfield is believed to have been engaged to a woman who was a regular visitor to Co Durham, Frankland Prison, where he was held.
Raab wants to ban prisoners serving life sentences, including Bellfield, from marrying under his victims bill.
He added: “Passing laws is not about individual cases. It is wrong even within the legislative agenda that I will discuss later.”
Raab has previously accused human rights law of creating “all sorts of obstacles” to preventing Bellfield from marrying.
Upon receiving his application for marriage in 2022, he said:
Belfield was sentenced to life in prison for murdering Marsha in 2003, Amelie in 2004, and attempted murder of Kate Sheedy, 18, also in 2004.
He was subsequently tried in March 2002 in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, for the murder of Millie as she was walking from school.
