Basically he's admitting that any criminals getting serious and substantial media coverage are far worse than those who don't.

As he says...

"Ian Brady is somebody I would have thought should stay in for the rest of his natural life. Robert Black is another. It is extremely difficult to see circumstances in which Ian Huntley could ever be released. Those are three obvious examples. It is because of dangerousness but it is also because society does require retribution in those sorts of cases and if it doesn't get it people will not be confident of the criminal justice system."

Leaving aside the possibility of human change and the powers of redemption, he is saying "the bigger the press coverage, the worse the crime".

Which we all knew anyway.
But it's nice to have it confirmed that politicians believe the media does - and should - rule society.

Enough of all this democracy rubbish!