It’s an issue that has divided an already polarised country - should a prisoner be able to have IVF on the NHS?
The matter was raised when convicted killer Aaron Newman yesterday demanded it was his "right" to be a dad, despite serving a 31-year sentence for shooting Hayley Pointon.
The debate has angered many, who argue that prisoners should not have the right to become parents.
But former Strangeways and Forest Bank inmate Cody, who served two years over three stretches, believes making it available to offenders would "reduce violence in prisons".
Appearing on Good Morning Britain earlier today, he also explained how it would tackle issues such as violence and drugs.
Host Richard Madeley began the debate by putting it to Cody that in the same way prisoners are not allowed to go to the circus, and they’re not allowed to have conjugal visits - they’re also not allowed to father children.
“It’s part of the deal, you do the time, you forfeit your human rights while you’re in jail,” he said.
Cody replied: “Once you enter prison, yes you committed a crime but you don't stop being a person and the last thing you want to do is dehumanise people.
"Prisoners are not allowed to vote so they’re not on the government's agenda, so prisoners should be given the basic human right to father children while behind bars.
“If you have been in a relationship for 15 years, and your partner stayed by you while you’re in prison, why should she be punished for your criminality?”
Richard explained that it is “inevitable” that families are damaged when their partner goes to jail, and that compensating the family “diminishes the effect of the punishment” and it becomes more like an “open prison”.
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Disagreeing, Cody argued: “Relationships in prison are key to reducing reoffending. Lord Michael Farmer himself says prisoners who receive visits in prison are 39 per cent less likely to reoffend.
“What society needs to remember is that 99 per cent of prisoners, unless serving a whole life tariff, will be introduced back into society at some point.”
Cody continued by claiming that due to the IVF “postcode lottery”, the chances of getting it in prison are likely to be higher than a council estate in Manchester.
Ten British inmates have been granted IVF in the last 50 years.
According to NICE, women aged under 40 should be offered three cycles of IVF treatment on the NHS if they meet the criteria.
But Fertility Fairness reported in 2017 just 12 per cent of clinical commissioning groups followed national guidance, down from 24 per cent in 2013.
Arguing that prison is about punishment, Richard said that “without punishment you don’t have deterrents.”
Disagreeing, Cody replied: “If you’re a model prisoner in prison it shows you’re going from an off-the-track thug to a law abiding citizen, you’re being changed and rehabilitated. Why shouldn’t you get this right?”
Turning to the other side of the debate, Richard puts it to former MP and criminal lawyer Jerry Hayes that in Denmark, where prisoners are allowed conjugal visits, reoffending has reduced.
But he hit back that it was "plain wrong" and "a slap in the face for law-abiding people who want to have children".
He also said that “73 per cent of NHS trusts do not give IVF treatment”.
He said: "To get IVF you have to have been trying for two years which means having sex, which is not possible in prison.
"What about the victims? What sort of child would you bring up?"
Hundreds of viewers flocked to Twitter to express their anger at the debate.
One said: “IVF is NOT a 'human right', it's a treatment which is either funded by the NHS/paid for privately for people who have fertility problems or can't conceive naturally. A prisoners punishment is having their freedom taken away. Rewarding prisoners on this level is ludicrous.”
Another said: “My husband is in the Royal Navy - I would have to wait for him to come home from serving to try for a baby or have IVF treatment. Just saying.”
A third said: “Prisoners entitled to IVF?! Why? What about all those law abiding couples who get refused the help for IVF?”
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.
