A convicted murderer who allegedly released rap music detailing his crime has been recommended for transfer to an open prison, despite a panel ruling he was not yet safe for release.
Murder, music and licence breaches
Jake Fahri was given a life sentence in 2009 for the killing of 16-year-old schoolboy Jimmy Mizen. The court heard that on 10 May 2008, in a bakery in south London, the then 19-year-old Fahri threw an oven dish at Jimmy. It shattered and severed blood vessels in the teenager's neck, causing him to bleed to death. Witnesses reported seeing Fahri swaggering from the shop with a smile.
Fahri served a minimum term of 14 years and was released on licence in June 2023. However, he was recalled to prison in January 2025. This followed a report by the Ministry of Justice that The Sun newspaper was about to publish a story linking him to drill music that referenced the murder.
The newspaper claimed Fahri was the masked drill artist known as 'Ten', who had been showcased on BBC 1Xtra. Tracks available on platforms like Spotify and YouTube allegedly featured a balaclava-clad rapper appearing to reference Jimmy's death.
Parole Board finds a pattern of dishonesty
In a recent oral hearing, the Parole Board considered Fahri's case. A summary document stated that while Fahri disputed the music "was all about his own life", he later accepted he was the artist 'Ten'.
The panel was not persuaded he had been open and honest about his music and concluded his failure to disclose the work to his probation officer was a clear breach of his licence. It identified several other breaches, including:
- Failing to disclose his use of the alias 'Ten' to Probation.
- Breaching his exclusion zone on more than one occasion.
- Staying overnight at an address not approved by Probation.
Fahri claimed he was unaware of the restrictions, but the panel found evidence from his probation officer contradicted this.
Open prison recommended despite safety concerns
At the hearing on 16 December, Fahri and professional witnesses supported his re-release. This was opposed by the Justice Secretary, who had representation at the proceedings.
The Parole Board decided it could not be satisfied that Fahri's release would be safe for public protection. It noted it had less confidence than the supporting witnesses in his likelihood of complying with a release plan.
However, the panel recommended he be moved to an open prison. It stated Fahri needed to reflect on his attitude and behaviour to better understand why he failed to be honest with professionals. It concluded this could be achieved in an open setting.
Open prisons have minimal security and allow eligible prisoners to spend much of the day outside on licence, for work or education. The final decision on whether to accept this recommendation now rests with Justice Secretary David Lammy.
