Families of homicide victims are calling for individuals convicted of manslaughter to be excluded from the government's early release scheme, expressing fears that the policy is a consequence of prison capacity crises and may undermine justice for victims. The plea comes in a letter addressed to Justice Secretary Alex Norris.
Among the signatories are families of victims whose perpetrators were convicted of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. This includes Emma Webber, whose son Barnaby was fatally stabbed in Nottingham in 2023, and whose killer, Valdo Calocane, was convicted of manslaughter. Diana Parkes, whose daughter Joanna Simpson was killed in 2010, is also among those who have signed the letter; her daughter's killer, Robert Brown, was convicted of manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility.
The families' concerns have been amplified by reports that the government is considering changes to the early release scheme to prevent those convicted of the unlawful act manslaughter of PC Andrew Harper from being eligible. PC Harper died in 2019 after being dragged down a road while trying to stop a quad bike theft.
Those convicted of murder are already excluded from the scheme. The current plans, intended to address prison overcrowding, were projected to allow 5,000 individuals to be released early, a figure reduced from 6,000 following an urgent review and some exemptions.
The letter highlights that if the government excludes unlawful act manslaughter, it should logically extend this exclusion to all forms of manslaughter, including voluntary manslaughter, which is legally considered a more serious offense. The signatories argue that excluding offenders in one case of unlawful act manslaughter but not in cases of voluntary manslaughter would create an inconsistency.
They also raise concerns that serious domestic homicides can result in voluntary manslaughter convictions, and early release for such offenders would conflict with commitments to reduce violence against women and girls.
Voluntary manslaughter involves intent to kill or cause serious harm, but is committed under specific legal defenses such as loss of control or diminished responsibility. Involuntary manslaughter typically arises from grossly negligent conduct that leads to death or an unlawful act that carries a risk of harm. The killers of PC Harper, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, were convicted of unlawful act manslaughter and, under current proposals, remain eligible for release in January, having served half of their 13-year sentences.
Ministers stated they are accelerating plans to keep more dangerous offenders incarcerated. This initiative is in addition to existing blocks on early release for those convicted of murder, rape, serious child sexual abuse, and grooming offenses. The Ministry of Justice is reportedly exploring further measures, including faster deportation of foreign criminals, better utilization of the female prison estate, and reviewing Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences, while also undertaking a plan to build 14,000 new prison places.