terms for life sentence prisoners was transferred from the Home Secretary to the High Court. His solicitors argued that a whole life tariff was a breach of his human rights. However, his appeal was rejected and the High Court agreed with the Home Secretary's ruling, upholding the life sentence. Hutchinson lodged a second appeal against his sentence shortly afterwards, his case returning to the High Court on 6 October 2008, but again was rejected. On 13 July 2013, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the whole life tariff was a breach of human rights. However, on 3 February 2015, Hutchinson lost an appeal in the European Court of Human Rights against his sentence, with the court's judges ruling that whole life tariffs were appropriate in certain cases, just as the High Court of England and Wales had 12 months earlier, on the condition that such sentences were reviewed within 25 years of the offender being sentenced. Within four months, however, it was reported that he was returning to the European Court of Human Rights for a fresh challenge against his sentence. Referral to Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights On 1 June 2015, Hutchinson's case was referred to the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights. The referral was made at the request of Hutchinson and his case was heard by the Grand Chamber on 21 October 2015. On 17 January 2017, Hutchinson again lost his case, with the court ruling that the UK had the right to impose whole life orders in appropriate circumstances. References 1941 births 20th-century English criminals British people convicted of attempted murder Crime in Sheffield Crime in South Yorkshire English mass murderers English people convicted of murder English people convicted of rape English prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment Family murders Living people People convicted of murder by England and Wales People from Hartlepool Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by England and Wales