Steve Lewsey, a victim of prolific child sex offender Glenn Langrish, has stated he will write to Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Mr Lewsey is urging the Prime Minister to amend the Sentencing Act to ensure that individuals convicted of serious offences are "never freed early".
Mr Lewsey waived his right to anonymity, stating that an early release for Langrish would undermine victims' experiences. Langrish was jailed for 15 years in 2024 for multiple historic child sex offences. Mr Lewsey welcomed the Prime Minister's announcement of an "urgent review" into the early prisoner release scheme, though he expressed scepticism.
Justice Secretary Alex Norris confirmed the scheme had been paused to ensure victims' views were "at the heart" of the decision. The scheme, originally announced by Sir Keir Starmer's government in July 2024, aimed to release offenders on fixed terms after serving a third of their sentence to ease prison overcrowding. Prime Minister Burnham has stated the scheme will not begin as planned in September and is paused pending a review.