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Girl’s killer told he cannot study murder

Peter Dominiczak
13.10.09

A man serving life for killing his girlfriend has failed in his legally-aided bid to continue with his Open University studies of domestic violence and homicide.

Social policy student Stanley Matthews, 53, who stabbed the 17-year-old to death in Cornwall, was given Open University funding for his postgraduate studies, London's High Court heard.

But the governor of Kent's Swaleside Prison ruled that it was “entirely inappropriate” for someone like him to be studying such a subject.

Matthews's lawyers argued that this was a violation of his human right to education. Judge William Davis concluded that it was “reasonable, rational and proportionate” for the prison authorities to decide as they did.

Reader views (3)

 Add your view

Ian
So what if he was a convicted child molestor who wanted to study Social Work/Child Abuse, I suppose that would be acceptable would it?

- Parson Green, Kentshire

"What a strange world we live in where education is deemed to be something that the state or legal system decides on what you can and what you cannot study."

It would be if this murdering scumbag wasn't in prison.
He's a convicted murderer; he should not be getting
OU funding in the first place!

- Lb, Bromley

What a strange world we live in where education is deemed to be something that the state or legal system decides on what you can and what you cannot study.

- Ian Gilbertson, Newcastle


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