Prime Minister Andy Burnham has intervened in early release plans designed to ease critical prison overcrowding, stating that rapists, child sexual abusers, and groomers will be excluded. He also announced on Tuesday that the planned early release of thousands of prisoners across England and Wales will be delayed by a month, now set for October.
However, domestic abusers and some killers, including two men involved in the death of PC Andrew Harper, will still be eligible for early release. This decision has been criticised by a watchdog and a pressure group, who warned it could put the lives of women and girls "at risk" and has "let down" serving police officers.
Mr Burnham stated, "I asked for an urgent review of the prisoner release scheme. I fully understand the anger, anxiety and distress that’s been caused. I’ve heard that loud and clear. That’s why we’re making significant changes: offenders who have been sentenced for rape, serious child sex offences and other grooming offences will be excluded from the changes."
The Ministry of Justice has not released figures on how many prisoners will no longer be freed due to this intervention, nor has it indicated when prisons are predicted to reach full capacity again. The domestic abuse commissioner, Dame Nicole Jacobs, called the decision to include those who have abused their partners "wrong" and said it "puts victims’ lives at risk."
The announcement follows the suspension of Keir Starmer’s earlier plans to release up to 6,000 offenders from prison early in September. Mr Burnham suspended the scheme in his second week as Prime Minister amid pressure from various groups to halt the early release of serious sexual and violent offenders.
The government has also announced a £10m package for victim support, and the new justice secretary Alex Norris is set to review Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences.