Serious offenders could be released to free up prison space

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has conceded that some serious offenders will be eligible for early release under plans to free up space in prisons, contradicting previous statements. Under the new scheme, prisoners serving consecutive sentences for less serious crimes can leave after completing 40% of their sentence, even if it follows a serious offence. This admission follows an investigation by Channel 4 News, which reported on probation whistleblowers who warned that some serious sexual offenders and other violent criminals could be released under the early release scheme. One whistleblower 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.”