Survivors of grooming gangs have voiced their terror and pleaded with MPs to exclude sexual offenders from early-prison release plans under the new Sentencing Act. The Act, which became law earlier this year, will allow prisoners serving time for some violent or sexual offences to become eligible for release halfway through their sentences from September, rather than the current two-thirds tariff. Thousands of inmates, including those serving life sentences, terrorists, or murderers, are already exempt from the reforms.
Survivors Speak Out
One woman, speaking to The Times under the pseudonym Erin, described her fear: “I feel as though I am being punished and terrified all over again - hearing that the men who abused me may be released early has completely broken my sense of safety. My family and I still receive active threats from these men and their families to this day. If they are released early, our lives will be in direct danger. It is deeply wrong that this country is allowing dangerous men back on to the streets, where they can harm women and children, while survivors are left to live in terror.”
A victim of the Rotherham sex abuse scandal, who the Mirror chose not to name, said it felt like all her years of work fighting for justice had been “thrown back in my face” and that her struggle “was all for nothing.” She is one of five women to write to MPs, urging them to exclude sexual offenders from early release and calling for “proper safeguarding and support to be in place before an offender is released,” adding that the offenders “have already had so much taken from us.” Another unnamed victim fears she will have to leave her home and move miles away if her abuser is released from prison.
Political Reactions
Andy Burnham, the PM-in-waiting, is said to be considering changes to prison sentencing reforms so child sex offenders are exempt. He is reportedly alarmed over plans that could see child groomers and rapists eligible for early release from September. A motion put forward by the Tories called on the government to deny rapists, paedophiles, and grooming gang members any right to automatic early release. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said in the House of Commons on Tuesday: “Any offender who has been convicted of any sexual offence against an adult or a child, including rape and grooming, or convicted of the attempt, conspiracy, or incitement to commit such offences.”
Details of the Early-Release Plan
The overcrowding-easing plan, known as an “earned progression” model and inspired by jails in Texas, will kick in from September. It means some criminals who were already sentenced will be released earlier than a judge intended, with the first 700 offenders reportedly set to be freed in less than two months. The early-release programme is supported by other reforms including the greater use of technology, like electronic tagging, to monitor offenders in the community and action to support criminals whose offending is driven by drugs, alcohol, or mental illness.
Ex-Home Office minister Jess Phillips, who resigned from the Government last month, last week suggested the scheme should be subject to an exemption to ensure those who have committed serious sexual crimes against children are kept in prison. She told LBC: “It is my opinion however that there should be more exemptions within the release scheme and child rapist seems to be an area that we should potentially all be looking to work together for, if the numbers allow.”
