London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – A man is alleged to have sexually attacked a woman on the day he was released from prison under the government’s early discharge scheme.
The contentious scheme, which allows some prisoners to be freed after serving 40% of their sentence, came into force to reduce overcrowding in prisons in England and Wales.
What happened on the day the man was released from prison?
It is understood the man retrieved his freedom as part of the policy and allegedly reoffended in Sittingbourne in Kent “on the same day he was released”, according to court documents witnessed by the PA Media news agency. He was then apprehended at an address in south London and charged with sexual aggression. After appearing at a magistrates court on Thursday, he has been told to occur at the crown court next month and in the meantime, he has been recalled to prison.
How does the early release scheme impact prisoner reoffending?
The government’s earlier release policy, which decreases the proportion of sentences some inmates must benefit from 50% to 40%, does not apply to criminals performing sentences for sexual offences, serious violent crimes with a sentence of four years or more and certain offences linked to domestic abuse such as stalking and nonfatal strangulation.
Criminals serving prison penalties of less than four years for some violent offences – including manslaughter – can be freed, as can some criminals with a record of domestic violence. On Tuesday, nearly 1,750 prisoners were released early from English and Welsh prisons.
How did the government respond to the incident involving early release?
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “The government inherited prisons in trouble and on the brink of collapse. Had that occurred, the courts would have been incapable of holding trials and the police to make arrests.
“We had no choice but to introduce emergency actions, releasing some prisoners a few weeks or months early, while excluding a number of crimes and imposing strict licence conditions. While we cannot comment on the details of any single case, those who break their licence conditions or commit further crimes will be punished.”