Labour has been accused of “gross neglect and incompetence” after failing to include dangerous grooming gang members on a list that would keep them in prison. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has “personally intervened” and ordered a second probe into the early release scheme after a loophole was identified.
Monsters who attacked young girls in Bradford before anti-grooming laws came into force in 2003 were set to be freed early. Mr Burnham had earlier this week tried to block grooming gang predators from being released after serving a third or half of their sentence.
Whistleblower slams 'reactive' leadership
Whistleblower Maggie Oliver, who exposed the Rochdale scandal, criticised ministers for “seemingly failing to understand the detail or the consequences of their own policies”. She told the Daily Express: “Once again, we are seeing a justice system on its knees and the supposed 'leaders' of our country being reactive instead of proactive, with those making these decisions seemingly failing to understand the detail or the consequences of their own policies.
“What concerns me most is that this keeps happening. Time and again, governments only act on our national emergencies after the public discovers a glaring flaw and shouts long and loud to force action. That’s not effective leadership, it’s gross neglect and incompetence and continues to undermine public trust.
“There appears to have been no proper scrutiny of who might benefit from these changes before they were announced. That is just not good enough when public safety and victims’ confidence in the justice system are at stake.”
Conservative leader demands ban
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: “I wrote to Andy Burnham last night warning that his policy was going to let rape gang perpetrators out of prison early. In response, the Prime Minister has commissioned yet another review.
“How many more reviews do we need before Andy Burnham does the common sense thing and bans all of these monsters from early release? The brave survivors have been put through hell by this process. They deserve so much better.”
Loophole affects Bradford gang
Some 5,000 people are expected to be released early under sentencing changes, down from 6,000 after ministers on Tuesday excluded rapists, “serious” child sex offenders and predators convicted of grooming offences from the scheme designed to tackle overcrowding in jails. But some gang members were convicted of indecent assault — which covers everything other than penetrative sex. That offence was not listed as an exemption.
The loophole would mean five men jailed for abusing a girl from the age of 13 would have got out after serving only half of their sentences. Mohammed Imran Akram, Safraz Ahmed Latif, Wajid Hussain, Mohammed Naheem and Nadeem Ali were all found guilty on various counts of indecent assault and each sentenced to between six and eight years in prison last year. That could mean some of them will be freed by the end of 2028.
A spokesman for the prime minister said on Thursday: “As part of the review of sentences, the prime minister asked the Ministry of Justice to conduct an in-depth review of cases to ensure that grooming cases were identified. This work is happening urgently. This is extremely important to the PM and he has personally intervened to ensure everything possible is being done so that vile groomers are dealt with in the way their victims deserve.”
Wider sentencing changes
Under Labour’s plans, killers and rapists will be let out of prison early, while 43,000 criminals will avoid jail altogether. Many convicts will be out after spending just a third of their jail term in prison. Those sentenced to four years or more will only be let out after serving 50% of their sentence.
The first tranche of releases has been delayed – from September to October. Criminals handed sentences of less than 18 months will be the first to benefit. Offenders handed more than 12 years in jail - some of the most dangerous criminals - will start to be freed next June.
Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy said: "Labour's early release scheme goes from bad to worse. It should be obvious to anyone that rapists, sex offenders and grooming gang perpetrators should not be let out of prison. It's incredible that it took weeks of Conservative pressure to get Labour to admit they were wrong and exclude rapists from early release. But now it turns out they still plan to let killers and grooming gang members back onto the streets. Labour must stop their early release law from coming into effect in October, and bring forward emergency legislation to keep killers and abusers behind bars."
PC Harper's killers eligible
The widow of PC Andrew Harper has urged ministers to come “to their senses” as his killers are set to be released early. Jessie Cole and Henry Bowers were each sentenced to 13 years for manslaughter in 2020, and will become eligible for release after serving half of their sentences. The driver, Henry Long, received a 16-year sentence and will not be eligible.
Pc Harper sustained fatal injuries after getting caught in a strap attached to the back of a car and being dragged down a country road as the killers fled the scene of a quad bike theft in Sulhamstead, Berkshire. Thames Valley Police Chief Constable Jason Hogg said he was receiving legal advice on whether the force could join a legal challenge mooted by local Police Federation chief Aileen O’Connor to prevent Cole and Bowers being freed.
The Prime Minister has said he wanted to “go further” with the exemptions after ordering a review of the scheme, but this was “not possible without the prison system reaching capacity and collapsing”. Those released will face tougher probation conditions, including electronic monitoring, random drug testing and possible bans from driving, pubs and events such as football matches.
