PM & Burnham Bar Rapists, Child Sex Offenders from Early Release Scheme
PM & Burnham Bar Rapists, Child Sex Offenders from Early Release Scheme
Major policy shift! Rapists and serious child sex offenders will NOT be granted early release from prison. PM and Andy Burnham announce stricter measures amidst public outrage. #PrisonReform #UKPolitics
In a significant policy reversal, rapists and serious child sex offenders, including those convicted of grooming, will now be excluded from the government’s controversial early prisoner release scheme. The announcement comes after widespread public outrage and an urgent review, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirming the new exclusions on Monday night.
The scheme, originally designed to ease severe overcrowding in jails across England and Wales, had faced fierce criticism. Andy Burnham, who had previously paused the plans in September to reassess, stated he understood the "anxiety and distress" the original proposals caused. While he expressed a desire to "go even further" in restricting early releases, he warned that doing so without risking the entire prison system's collapse was not possible.
Prime Minister Sunak echoed this sentiment, acknowledging the "anger, anxiety and distress" felt by the public. He stated, "Keeping the public safe is my top priority. That’s why I asked for an urgent review of the prisoner release scheme." He clarified that offenders sentenced for rape, serious child sex offences, and other grooming offences are now explicitly excluded from the changes.
The decision has been met with mixed reactions. Lissie Harper, widow of PC Andrew Harper, expressed her profound disappointment, saying she was "beyond appalled and bristling with anger" that her husband’s killers remained eligible for early release. Thames Valley Police Chief Constable Jason Hogg also voiced concern, calling the initial decision not to exclude these categories "demoralising for all police officers."
To further reassure the public, Mr. Burnham outlined "much tougher" community measures for those still eligible for early release. These include a "presumption" that all offenders will be electronically tagged, significantly longer periods of supervision, and the introduction of new restriction zones to monitor and limit offender movements. GPS monitoring will specifically be implemented for rapists.
The broader early release scheme, which would see thousands of prisoners released a month early, will now be delayed until October. This move aims to implement the new restrictions and exclusions more effectively, providing a measure of public safety while still addressing the critical issue of prison capacity.
