Whistleblower accounts suggest the new Labour government lied when it said serious sexual offenders would not be released from prison after serving just 40% of their sentences.
In its notes to newspaper editors, the ministry of justice claimed last month that sex offenders sentenced to four or more years in prison would be “automatically excluded” from its early release scheme, which will see around 2,000 prisoners freed early on just one day next week, and another 1,700 let out shortly thereafter.
But representatives from NAPO—the trade union for probation staff—have told Channel 4 there is a “loophole” in the policy, meaning prisoners who are supposed to be locked up until next year could be free within weeks.
The broadcaster reported that these individuals are serving consecutive sentences where the end date takes into account a sentence for a less serious offence. NAPO officials relayed the concerns of one probation worker, who said:
I have a high-risk male convicted of stalking which would exclude him from the early release. However, as he has a driving offence he is now eligible for early release. This appears to make a mockery of what the government said but also of risk issues.
A Probation Service source also noted that the legislation—intended to free up prisons after years of Conservative Party mismanagement, with many of the spaces likely to go to rioters instead—“was drafted very quickly.” They said the law “should be looked at where there are multiple sentences,” before it actually comes into effect. Unfortunately, the government’s total non-response to the report failed to address this mindful suggestion.
This revelation—which will be surprising to almost no one—comes just months after Labour bemoaned “a tidal wave of violence against women and girls” and pledged to make misogyny a ‘hate crime.’
Jade Blue, who this year received compensation after her rape case was dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service, said “serious sexual offenders and violent criminals getting early release due to a loophole undermines public safety and victims’ rights. This is a clear failure in safeguarding justice and public protection.”
