Father of Birmingham murderer with record 26 life sentences advocates for prison system overhaul
Roger Aston, the father of a Birmingham killer who received Britain's longest-ever jail term, has expressed hope for his son's eventual release while launching a powerful critique of what he describes as the UK's "barbaric" prison system. His son, Andrew Simon Aston, was handed 26 concurrent life sentences in February 2002 for the brutal murders of two elderly soldiers during a three-month crime spree that included numerous assaults and robberies.
From calling for execution to advocating rehabilitation
Remarkably, Roger Aston initially called for his own son to face capital punishment following the horrific crimes. "Although he is my own son and I love him, we can't have that evil out there," he declared at the time. The 28-year-old Andrew had posed as a police officer to gain entry to his victims' homes before savagely attacking 87-year-old George Dale and 80-year-old Francis Hobley in front of their wives, with both men subsequently dying from their injuries in hospital.
Now, nearly 25 years later, the 76-year-old father has undergone a significant transformation in perspective. Having reconnected with his son in 2011 after giving evidence for the prosecution during the trial, Mr Aston maintains regular contact with the now 54-year-old inmate and reports that the former crack cocaine addict has been clean from drugs for at least five years.
A father's observations on transformation and system failure
"Andy's been clean of drugs for at least five years," Mr Aston revealed. "He's still got a temperament - but that's because he's inside. I'm hoping he comes out. His demeanour has quietened over the years. He's gone back to the person I knew, as my son, he's got respect."
Despite the sentencing judge's declaration that Aston's life sentence "may well mean exactly that," his father - who describes himself as a "great believer in capital punishment" - now expresses hope for eventual release. He stresses that this hope doesn't excuse the crimes, which he acknowledges were justly punished, but reflects his belief in genuine rehabilitation possibilities.
Systemic problems undermining rehabilitation efforts
Mr Aston's primary concern centres on what he perceives as fundamental failures within the prison system that undermine rehabilitation. "The biggest problem he has at the moment is the system. It's barbaric inside," he asserted, highlighting issues with drug availability, staffing pressures, and inconsistent offender management.
According to his observations from regular communication with his son, drugs remain "all too easy to come by" within prisons, smuggled in through various channels including visitors, drones, and even corrupt prison officers. "You have prison officers smuggling them in, visitors, drones dropping them in willy-nilly," he reported, suggesting these systemic issues actively work against recovery efforts.
Inconsistent support and management concerns
The father also raised serious concerns about probation services and offender management, revealing that his son has had 26 different probation officers during his incarceration, with only two actually meeting him in person or via video. "He never met the other 24," Mr Aston noted. "They surely need to know the person. The system is all over the place. They're not getting the help they need to break the chain."
Andrew Aston has served his unprecedented sentence across several high-security prisons including Frankland, Wakefield, and Whitemoor, with his father maintaining contact primarily through weekly phone calls and just one in-person meeting since their 2011 reconnection.
Advocating for meaningful reform
Mr Aston has channeled his experiences into a self-published book titled 'Love v Law', which examines what he considers a broken penal system. His advocacy focuses on systemic changes rather than seeking special treatment for his son, emphasising that his motivation stems from a desire to improve the system for future generations.
"I look not to reiterate events of the past concerning Andrew, but to share a 25-year story which confirms the reality of mismanagement resulting in penalties for future generations to cope with," he explained. He believes that improved addiction treatment, better mental health provision, and more consistent offender management could significantly reduce reoffending rates and enhance public safety.
Despite his criticisms of the prison system, Mr Aston remains acutely aware of the lasting trauma inflicted on the victims' families and the gravity of his son's crimes. His perspective represents a complex journey from seeking the ultimate punishment to advocating for a more effective rehabilitation-focused system that could potentially allow even the most serious offenders to eventually reintegrate into society under appropriate conditions.
