The Parole Board has recommended that the killer of schoolboy Jimmy Mizen be moved to an open prison, despite his history of breaching licence conditions and releasing drill music that boasted about the murder.
A Brutal Murder and a Life Sentence
Jake Fahri was just 19 years old when he murdered 16-year-old Jimmy Mizen in a bakery in south London in 2008. The fatal attack occurred after Fahri threw a glass oven dish at Jimmy during a confrontation. The dish shattered and severed blood vessels in the teenager's neck, leading to his death. Disturbingly, witnesses reported seeing Fahri smiling as he left the scene.
In 2009, Fahri was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 14 years. He was eventually released on licence in June 2023, but his freedom was short-lived.
Recall to Prison Over Drill Music Boasts
Fahri's licence was revoked, and he was recalled to prison in January 2025. This drastic action followed the discovery that he had been releasing music under the pseudonym 'TEN', a masked drill artist who had been featured on BBC 1Xtra.
In tracks available on platforms like Spotify and YouTube, the rapper appeared to reference Jimmy Mizen's killing. Although Fahri initially denied to a Parole Board panel that the lyrics were "all about his own life", he later admitted to being the artist known as TEN.
The panel found he had not been open with his probation officer about his music career, calling it a clear breach of his licence. They also identified other violations, including breaching an exclusion zone multiple times and staying at an unapproved address overnight.
Parole Board Rejects Re-Release, Recommends Open Prison
At an oral hearing on 16 December, professional witnesses and Fahri himself argued for his re-release. However, the Justice Secretary, David Lammy, opposed the move and was represented at the proceedings.
The Parole Board's decision, published recently, stated the panel was not satisfied that releasing Fahri would be safe for the public. They had less confidence than the supporting witnesses in his ability to comply with a release plan.
Instead, the panel recommended Fahri be moved to an open prison. They concluded he needed to reflect on his attitude and behaviour to better understand why he failed to be honest with professionals managing his case. Open prisons have minimal security and allow eligible inmates to spend time outside on licence for work or education.
The final decision on accepting this recommendation now rests with Justice Secretary David Lammy.
Family Reaction and Ongoing Scrutiny
Reacting to the news, Jimmy's mother, Margaret Mizen, told The Sun she had "expected him to get out" and welcomed the decision to keep him within the prison system. However, she pointedly added that this was "the decision they should have made when he was released the first time" back in 2023.
The case continues to raise serious questions about offender management, licence conditions, and the accountability of those convicted of the most serious crimes.
