Domestic abuse survivors could take their own lives because they are so terrified their attackers are being let out of prison early, ministers have been warned. Britain’s top police officer, Sir Mark Rowley, admitted he is “really concerned” that “very dangerous” men will benefit from Andy Burnham’s soft justice programme. A leading campaigner declared victims are being “failed by a system that is supposed to protect you”.
Frontline fears over early release scheme
Frontline officers fear that criminals being let out after serving as little as 33% of their sentences behind bars will trigger a crime wave, which will worsen as the scheme gathers pace in the coming months.
Rachel Williams, who was shot by her violent partner before he took his own life in 2011, said: “Some of the most dangerous, obsessive and prolific perpetrators are being released back into our communities.
“And the people expected to live with the consequences are the victims and survivors they have already terrorised and harmed.
“I know what it feels like to be failed by a system that is supposed to protect you. I know what it is like to watch a criminal justice system that appears to give perpetrators more consideration than the victims they have harmed – where accountability can seem elusive, while victims are left carrying the fear, the consequences and the burden of proving they deserve protection.
“We have heard survivors’ warnings for years. I fear for many people in this situation.
“As we all consider the devastating reality that some victims of domestic abuse may take their own lives, particularly as suicide rates appear to be rising, others may feel they have no option but to safety-plan and return to the perpetrator because there is no one there to protect them.
“The alternative could be serious harm or, tragically, murder.”
Numbers released and Rowley's warning
Some 700 criminals were let out of prison early on Thursday. Another 650 are due to be released next week. In total, 4,500 convicts will be let out early, under Ministry of Justice plans. By June, criminals sentenced to 12 years or more will have benefited from the scheme.
Up to 50,000 offenders a year are likely to be freed early under Labour’s sentencing changes, with thousands eligible every month. Sir Mark warned that “prolific and volatile” criminals are being let out into communities at an astonishing rate.
The Scotland Yard chief admitted many offenders are being bailed back into the community on the same conditions with “zero sanction”. He also said the force is arresting “two or three early release offenders a week”. Officers in London are having to deal with more than 100 breaches of electronic tagging orders a day.
He said: “We're seeing 95% plus of the tagging breaches being bailed back into the community on the same condition, so there is zero sanction.”
Asked if it is effectively a revolving door, Rowley said: “It is. We press for the most dangerous and prolific individuals to be remanded in prison.
“We're seeing fewer people remanded in prison. That's leaving more prolific and volatile people in communities. The number of people failing to appear at court is now going up.
“We were getting 800 arrest warrants a month. We're now getting the best part of 1,600 because more volatile people are being put back out into communities.
“I’m really concerned, and I've heard Claire Waxman, the national victims’ commissioner, talk about issues around those obsessive offenders who are repeat domestic violence offenders, repeat stalkers. Some of them are very difficult, very dangerous, and this is a very difficult issue that they are now going to be released early.”
Case of released offender reoffending
In one case, a career criminal and convicted pervert who thanked Labour as he walked out of prison went on a weekend-long shoplifting rampage within hours of being released from HMP Wandsworth. Michael Bogle, 38, had been assessed as a “high-risk offender” by the Probation Service.
But he was captured on CCTV stealing from two supermarkets in north-west London within 24 hours of being freed last Thursday from HMP Wandsworth. Shop staff said he had “continued shoplifting throughout the weekend”. Bogle is back in prison already after pleading guilty to four counts of shoplifting.
Det Ch Supt Luke Williams, borough commander for Barnet, Brent and Harrow, told MPs and police chiefs in an unprecedented letter: “The concerning nature of the early release scheme in this case was a known prolific offender being put back into the community, only to immediately reoffend.
“Not only does this place communities at risk, but it also puts demand straight back into policing, who must arrest, investigate and put the individual into custody.
“This is not just a localised issue with similar cases occurring across London, where people are released, only for their cycle of offending to immediately start again.
“I, along with other officers from across the Met, am concerned this will only get worse as more people are released early.”
