The UK government will proceed with the early release of thousands of serious offenders this autumn, including killers and those convicted of domestic abuse, after a review of controversial plans. The decision was announced on Monday night, following an earlier pause prompted by public outcry over the potential release of two of the teenagers convicted of killing PC Andrew Harper.
Following an urgent review, rapists and the most serious sex offenders have been excluded from the early release program. However, thousands of other serious criminals, including those convicted of manslaughter, domestic abuse, child pornography, drug dealing, and wounding with intent, will still be eligible for early release.
The program will see thousands of serious offenders who would normally serve two-thirds of their sentence released after completing half of their term. Less serious offenders will be released after serving one-third of their sentence, instead of the usual half.
The early release of Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole, two of the three teenage killers of PC Harper, will go ahead within months. PC Harper was killed in August 2019 after responding to reports of a stolen quad bike. He was dragged behind a car for over a mile. Bowers and Cole were sentenced in 2020 to 13 years for manslaughter and will now be released after serving approximately half of their sentence.
Lissie Harper, PC Harper's widow, expressed her distress, stating that the prospect of their release made her feel sick and that the government's decision showed a lack of respect for victims. "This is disgusting," she said. "How dare ministers say the killing of a police officer is not enough of a 'sickening crime' that deserves the stiffest of punishments."
Andy Burnham acknowledged the anger and distress caused to victims but stated that the exclusions of rapists and the worst paedophiles were significant changes. He noted that the early release was necessary due to the prison system nearing capacity, warning that a collapse would put public safety at greater risk. The Prime Minister's office confirmed that they had wanted to go further in exclusions but stated it was not possible without risking the prison system.
Critics, such as Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, argued that the decision was a partial climbdown and that killers and violent offenders would still be released. Dame Nicole Jacobs, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, called the decision to not exclude domestic abuse perpetrators "wrong" and stated it puts victims' lives at risk.
Justice Secretary Alex Norris announced that those released early would face stricter supervision, including electronic tagging, exclusion zones, and random drug tests. The use of chemical castration for certain offenders will be doubled, and probation officers will be granted powers to ban some offenders from driving, pubs, and football matches.
These changes are intended to be permanent, with implementation delayed until October. The government also aims to accelerate the prison building program to address the current crisis, though specific details were not provided. The early release plan is expected to reduce the number of serious offenders eligible for early release by approximately 1,000, bringing the total to around 5,000.
