Key facts
- Around 700 offenders in England and Wales are being released early from prison.
- Victims of domestic abuse have expressed fear for their safety following notification of early releases.
- Inmates serving sentences of up to 19 months will be released after completing one-third of their term.
- Prisons in England and Wales are operating at 98% capacity.
- The Ministry of Justice stated that dangerous offenders, including those convicted of rape and child sex abuse, will not be released early.
Victims of domestic abuse in England and Wales have expressed fear for their safety and distress following the government's decision to release approximately 700 offenders early from prison to alleviate overcrowding. The releases, which began on Thursday, are part of a plan that will see a further 3,800 inmates freed over the next year.
Claire Milne stated she is "scared" her ex-husband, Robert Dales, who was convicted of coercive control and possessing offensive weapons, will "come after me." Dales, sentenced to three years, is due for early release. Milne described her past relationship as "very high-risk domestic abuse" and expressed anger that victims were not being listened to.
Another victim, Karen Haynes, whose ex-husband Christopher Haynes was sentenced to 21 months for coercive control, called the early release "devastating." She noted that he would be released after serving only seven months of his sentence, impacting her hope for a Christmas without fear.
A third victim, identified only as Alice, also expressed terror and a feeling of having "the rug pulled out from underneath me" as her abuser is due for release later this month. She is concerned about affording safety measures like a camera doorbell.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) acknowledged the "profound and lasting" impact of domestic abuse but stated that the government is committed to keeping the most dangerous prisoners incarcerated. Offenders convicted of rape, child sex abuse, and manslaughter will remain in prison. The MoJ cited the risk of the prison system collapsing if further releases were not implemented.
Prison staff have reportedly indicated that the lack of space necessitates these releases, with prisons operating at 98% capacity. Under the scheme, inmates serving sentences of up to 19 months will be released after completing one-third of their term, a reduction from the previously expected 40%.
Dame Nicole Jacobs, the domestic abuse commissioner for England and Wales, described the scheme as "shameful" and raised concerns about the lack of assurance that perpetrators' danger has been properly assessed with victim input. She called for urgent steps to address the issue, including resources for the probation service and additional funding for domestic abuse support.
The MoJ stated that released offenders will face "toughest-ever controls" including "world-first restriction zones and the largest expansion of electronic tagging," with victims having a say in licence conditions.