<Tr> <Th> John Straffen </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1952 </Td> <Td> 2007 </Td> <Td> Britain 's longest serving prisoner , who spent 55 years in prison until his death . Straffen was convicted of murdering two pre-teen girls in July 1951 . The following year , he escaped for a four - hour period and was convicted of murdering another girl during this short spell at large , although he long proclaimed his innocence . Straffen was reprieved from a death sentence owing to learning difficulties , and instead remained in prison for the rest of his life . He died , aged 77 , at Frankland prison in November 2007 . For the final five years of his life , he was the oldest prisoner known to be serving a whole life - tariff , following the death of Archibald Hall . </Td> </Tr>
<Tr> <Th> John Straffen </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1952 </Td> <Td> 2007 </Td> <Td> Britain 's longest serving prisoner , who spent 55 years in prison until his death . Straffen was convicted of murdering two pre-teen girls in July 1951 . The following year , he escaped for a four - hour period and was convicted of murdering another girl during this short spell at large , although he long proclaimed his innocence . Straffen was reprieved from a death sentence owing to learning difficulties , and instead remained in prison for the rest of his life . He died , aged 77 , at Frankland prison in November 2007 . For the final five years of his life , he was the oldest prisoner known to be serving a whole life - tariff , following the death of Archibald Hall . </Td> </Tr>
who is the longest serving prisoner in the uk
who is the longest serving prisoner in the uk
John Straffen
John Straffen