Life means life for UK 'Dr Death'

Serial killer Shipman received 15 life sentences

LONDON (CNN) -- British Home Secretary David Blunkett has ruled that serial killer Harold Shipman must spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Family doctor Shipman was dubbed "Dr. Death" after being convicted of murdering 15 elderly female patients with lethal injections of diamorphine and one count of forging a will.

Prosecutors say he may have killed hundreds more during his 24 years as a general practitioner in Hyde, Greater Manchester, northwestern England.

Shipman, 55, received 15 life sentences in 2000 and the trial judge said in his case a life sentence should mean life.

"I do not usually comment on the tariff decided in individual life sentence prisoner cases," said Blunkett. "However, I recognise that Harold Shipman's crimes raise issues of particular public concern, and I therefore intend to depart from my usual practice in this case.

"Harold Shipman was convicted in January 2000 on 15 counts of murder. I extend my deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the victims.

"These were the most heinous of offences and the gross breach of the duty of trust he owed as a doctor to the victims, all of whom were trusting patients. Taking all the circumstances into account I have decided that nothing less than a whole life tariff should apply in this case."

Blunkett has acknowledged that a recent ruling by the European Court of Human Rights could encourage 'whole life' murderers in their legal attempts to strip home secretaries of the power to decide how long serious criminals remain in jail.

Judges at the Strasbourg court ruled that former Home Secretary Jack Straw breached the human rights of murderer Dennis Stafford from County Durham by keeping him in jail longer than recommended by the Parole Board.

The judges said the power of a government minister to overrule the Parole Board was used illegally.

Blunkett vowed after the Strasbourg ruling to fight any attempts by murderers sentenced to 'whole life' prison tariffs to win their freedom by exploiting the judgment.

Moors murderer Myra Hindley is another high-profile British killer seeking freedom despite having a 'whole life' sentence.