PM 'to look at sentencing laws' after meeting mum of murdered Hull student Libby Squire
The mother of murdered Hull student Libby Squire says the Prime Minister has promised to look into sentencing laws, following a meeting at 10 Downing Street.
Lisa Squire met with Boris Johnson on Tuesday, 15 March, to discuss her calls for longer sentences for those who commit crimes of "choice", like rape and murder.
Ms Squire has been campaigning for changes after Libby, who was 21, was raped and murdered by Pawel Relowicz in January 2019.
She said she left the meeting feeling as though she had been "listened to" and that the Prime Minister had agreed that "people that rape and murder and commit crimes of choice shouldn't get a second chance."
"He was going to look at the sentencing bills," she said. "I made that quite clear – that's my aim that he will never get out of prison. Libby doesn't get a second chance, so why should he?"
Libby, a student at Hull University, went missing after a night out on 31 January 2019.
It sparked the biggest missing persons inquiry in Humberside Police history. Almost seven weeks later, her body was pulled from the Humber Estuary.
The 26-year-old was jailed in February last year for life, with a minimum term of 27 years.
The sentence was later referred to the Attorney General's Office but deemed not to be unduly lenient.
During her meeting with the Prime Minister, Ms Squire also discussed the work she has been doing around the prevention of sexual violence against women.
She is currently working alongside Hull North MP, Diana Johnson, to call for early intervention for sex offenders who commit relatively low-level crimes.
She said the the Prime Minister took a real interest in the progress the pair had made so far.
"He was really listening to the things I had to say about what was interesting to women and girls," she said.
"Really we wanted to talk about the non-contact sexual offense and if we are aware of these things to begin with, we can stop them and hopefully stop them progressing and escalating into rape and murder.
"Obviously Relowicz had a history of non-contact sexual offenses and had he been flagged up earlier, we may not be in this position today.
"And the Prime Minister said it makes perfect sense to try and stop it before they escalate.
"He was interested how it would work alongside prison sentences and how it would help.
Ms Squire said the meeting had left her feeling optimistic that change "was possible".
"It makes me feel like I'm doing something for the good. I've got some new contacts now that will hopefully be able to help me push things along.
"This has just given me a bit more confidence to carry on doing what I'm doing."
We contacted Number 10 Downing street for a statement but it said it would not be commenting as it was a private meeting.