Lives 'will be in danger' from early re-release policy

Domestic abuse commissioner Dame Nicole Jacobs warns that No 10’s emergency measures to fix the UK’s prisons crisis, rereleasing some sex offenders and domestic abusers who breach their licence conditions after less than a month, will put lives in danger”.

- AMY-CLARE MARTIN CRIME CORRESPONDENT

Justice secretary Shabana Mahmood unveiled plans on Wednesday to free criminals recalled to custody after 28 days to prevent overflowing prisons, which are currently 99 per cent full, reaching “zero capacity” by November.

The fixed-term recall measures, which will free up 1,400 cells, will apply to those serving sentences of between one and four years, which could include some registered sex offenders and domestic abusers.

However, violent criminals, terrorists and sex offenders who are not subject to notification requirements will be excluded from the new scheme, as well as those who have been recalled for a serious further offence.

The exclusions will focus on offenders managed under MultiAgency Public Protection Arrangements (Mappa) at Level 2 or 3, in which criminals are subject to enhanced risk management with police, prisons and probation services.

The plans were criticised by victims commissioner Baroness Newlove and Dame Nicole, who said lives would be in danger as a result of the decision.