The loved ones of seven-year-old Archie York and two-year-old Maya Chappell have appealed to the Prime Minister to prevent those responsible for their deaths from having their jail terms cut short. Mr Burnham has paused the government's early release policy, which was due to release thousands of prisoners in September, and pledged an immediate review. He and justice secretary Alex Norris are now being urged to ensure that those culpable for a child's death are not eligible for early release.
Archie's mother speaks out
Drug dealer Reece Galbraith was sentenced to 14 years for manslaughter after a drugs lab explosion in Newcastle's West End killed Archie in 2024. He was set to become eligible for release after two-thirds of his sentence, but changes to the early release programme could see him freed at the halfway point. Archie's mother, Katherine Errington, told the Chronicle that the thought of Galbraith being released earlier had 'left me feeling devastated and has shaken my faith in the justice system'. She added: 'I ask those making these decisions to remember that every case involves real people whose lives have been permanently changed. Archie will never get a second chance at life. His killer should, at the very least, serve the full sentence that was imposed.'
Maya's family join campaign
Two-year-old Maya died after being violently shaken by her mother's boyfriend, Michael Daymond, in 2022. Daymond was jailed for life, and Maya's mother Dana Carr was jailed for nine years for child cruelty and allowing death. Maya's great aunt, Gemma Chappell, wants clear guidelines excluding child death offenders from early release. She said: 'Andy Burnham needs to be getting them to look at this and stop people in prison for these sort of serious offences getting out early. They cannot let child killers, rapists, or people like Dana out early.'
Political support
Newcastle Central and West MP Chi Onwurah has written to the justice secretary asking him to meet Katherine Errington. Blaydon and Consett MP Liz Twist has written directly to Mr Burnham about Carr's case. North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said she fully supports calls to ensure offenders who have harmed children are not eligible under the scheme. Newcastle City Council leader Colin Ferguson said the prospect of early release for child killers is 'deeply distressing' and risks undermining public confidence in the justice system.
Early release figures
More than 70,000 prisoners in England and Wales have been released early under the current scheme, which allows release after serving 40% of a fixed-term sentence. Some 51,419 offenders were recalled to prison in the year to March 2026, up 28% on the previous year. The Ministry of Justice has admitted that early release is 'likely' to have contributed to the rise in recalls. A spokesperson said the pause is 'to make sure we get this policy right for victims without running out of prison spaces'.
