John "Ben" Gunn (born 1965) is a British consultant, writer, and campaigner on issues relating to prison life and justice.
You brought his life to an end without any motive in circumstances which you know amounted to murder, and it's to your credit that you have never attempted to deny that.Gunn was ordered to be detained at Her Majesty's pleasure, with a tariff (minimum jail term) of 10 years.
[3] He later said of this change:[3] Within a week, I went from a situation of personalised treatment and intense education to an indifferent prison that attempted to strip me of the personality so many resources had been dedicated to shape.In prison, Gunn earned the nickname "Ben" because he grew a large beard which was said to make him resemble the character Ben Gunn in Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island.
[3] He studied for and obtained a BSc (Hons) in political theory and history and an MA (Merit) in peace and reconciliation, and began a PhD in non-violent action in prison.
[6] The United Kingdom Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove MP, asked his cabinet colleague the Secretary of State for Justice, Kenneth Clarke to review the case, saying that:[2] it appears that an extremely intelligent, remorseful man has been punished excessively for a crime committed as a child.Lord Ramsbotham, a former Chief Inspector of Prisons, also campaigned for his release.
[2] In 2007, Gunn was in Shepton Mallet prison, where he met and began an illicit romantic relationship with a female teacher called Alex.
His company, Mokurai Consulting,[10] (named after a Zen monk and meaning "Silent Thunder") now manages his media appearances and provides services related to criminal justice and prison issues.