LONDON: Robert Jenrick has called for the Government to apologise for releasing prisoners early as the newly-appointed shadow justice secretary said the only group Labour has increased its popularity with is criminals.
On his first outing in his role since being appointed by his former leadership opponent Kemi Badenoch on Monday, Mr Jenrick asked the Government to detail the number of sex offenders and domestic abusers that had been let out of prison under its early release scheme. He said: “Can I belatedly congratulate the front bench on their appointments? I’ve been a little busy over the summer. But during that time the only group this Labour Government’s popularity has increased with is criminals.
“How many domestic abusers and sex offenders who were released under their early release scheme have gone on to reoffend? And would they like to apologise to the victims?”
A total of 37 prisoners were wrongly freed during the first tranche of the scheme in September, as they had been convicted under an outdated law for breaching restraining orders. This included one man who has been charged with committing a sexual offence within hours of being let out of prison.
The Government’s scheme was introduced to create space inside jails in England and Wales as they reached capacity. A further 1,100 prisoners were released last month in the second wave of the programme. Criminals, who have been sentenced to five years or more in prison, are eligible after serving 40 per cent their term in jail. They are then released on licence. Those convicted of serious violence, sexual offences and terrorism are exempt.
Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones (Pontypridd) said: “Well, I was going to congratulate (Mr Jenrick) in his new role, but he seems to have a very short memory, and I believe it is he who should be apologising to the country as a whole, on behalf of his government’s woeful, absolute misabuse of our justice system and our prisons.
“Under the previous government’s ECSL (end of custody supervised licence) scheme, there were zero exemptions that would protect the public. This Government put in serious exemptions to prevent sex offenders being released onto our streets, preventing those with serious violent crimes being released onto our streets. “I believe (Mr Jenrick) should maybe have a bit of humility.”