The Court of Appeal in London yesterday upheld the decision of the Home Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, that the Moors murderer Myra Hindley should spend the rest of her life in prison, as legal campaigners argued that such decisions should be made by the judiciary and not politicians.
Lord Woolf, the Master of the Rolls, said that the court's unanimous ruling meant that Hindley - now aged 56 and having so far served over 32 years - "could well serve another 30 years or more in prison" for what were horrendous crimes.
Lawyers representing the home secretary had argued that "pitiless and wicked" murderers must be "punished for the rest of their days".
Dismissing Hindley's appeal, Lord Woolf - sitting with Lord Justice Hutchison and Lord Justice Judge - said: "It seems to me with offences as horrendous as these it is perfectly reasonable for a Secretary of State to adopt the position that this is a case which is so bad that it would not be appropriate to fix a tariff." The whole life tariff was lawful, the judges said, provided the home secretary reviewed her case from time to time.
Afterwards, Hindley's lawyers, who will now take their appeal to the House of Lords, said the decision was "finely balanced", highlighting comments made by Lord Woolf and Lord Justice Hutchison, both of whom expressed concern about fixing a life tariff.
In 1990, the home secretary, Mr David Waddington, set the whole life tariff, 24 years after Hindley was convicted with Ian Brady of the murders of Lesley Ann Downey (10) and Edward Evans (17). Brady was convicted separately of the murder of John Kilbride (12) and it was 21 years later when both confessed to killing two more young people - Pauline Reade (16) and Keith Bennett (12).
The life tariff was subsequently confirmed by the then Tory home secretary, Mr Michael Howard, and approved again by Mr Straw in November last year.
But Mr Paul Cavadino, principal officer of the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders, said it was wrong that politicians should make such "grave decisions" on sentencing because there was a risk they were concerned with playing to the electorate and the media, rather than considering the merits of the case.
Hindley's long-time supporter, Lord Longford, said he was disappointed by the decision and that he hoped she would one day be freed.
Mrs Ann West, the mother of Lesley Ann Downey, however expressed her delight at the ruling: "Now I've something to live for, knowing I don't have the worry of her getting out. I know she's going to try again, she'll go the Court of Human Rights but they threw it out last time."
The hope remains for Hindley that, if the appeal now going to the House of Lords fails, Mr Straw or his successors, who are legally bound to keep her case under review, may decide that "exceptional circumstances" have arisen entitling her to parole.