Prisoners have been seen leaving HMP Cardiff on Thursday morning as the Government's expanded early release scheme gets under way. One man leaving the prison told reporters he had been released early.
Asked if he had a message for Prime Minister Andy Burnham, he replied: "Thank you very much and don't get me back here again bro."
Scheme aims to ease overcrowding
Hundreds of prisoners are due to be released in the first wave of the scheme, which ministers say is needed to ease pressure on overcrowded prisons. The policy has raised concerns among victims whose attackers are being released earlier than expected.
Karen Haynes, from Swansea, was recently told that her former husband Christopher Haynes is expected to be released in November, around seven months into his 21-month sentence for coercive and controlling behaviour. Karen said the news was "horrendous", telling WalesOnline that her family had lived with panic alarms and safety plans because of fears over her former husband's behaviour.
"We haven't even had a Christmas since my abuser was jailed," she said. "Everyone is fearful."
Prison population rises
The prison population of England and Wales stood at 87,499 on Monday, up 1,738 from late June. The Government says the expanded early release scheme is necessary to tackle overcrowding, with eligible prisoners remaining subject to licence conditions after leaving custody.
The changes come into force on Thursday, October 1, under the Sentencing Act 2026. The legislation changes the point at which many prisoners serving standard determinate sentences can be released on licence, with the custodial period for eligible prisoners reduced to one-third of their sentence.
Exclusions and licence conditions
The Government has said the measures are necessary to create additional capacity in the prison estate. Prisoners released under the new system remain on licence for the rest of their sentence and can be recalled to prison if they breach their licence conditions or can no longer be safely managed in the community.
Not all prisoners are eligible. The Government has introduced exclusions for a range of serious offences, while dangerous offenders serving Extended Determinate Sentences, as well as prisoners serving life sentences, remain outside the progression model.
The first releases are part of a wider effort to tackle rising pressure on prisons. The Government has faced criticism over the policy, with concerns raised about the impact on victims and the ability of probation services to supervise people released into the community.
Ministers have defended the changes as necessary to prevent further pressure on the prison system, while stressing that offenders released early remain subject to licence conditions and can be returned to custody if those conditions are breached.
