UK reviews early release plan after backlash over rapists

The controversion scheme would see thousands of criminals, including sexual offenders and rapists, released early from their sentences.

But, last week, Andy Burnham ordered a review of the scheme after coming under increasing pressure from MPs, victims, campaigners and front-line prison officers to prevent the early release of serious sexual and violent offenders.

It is understood that the new PM and the new Justice Secretary, Alex Norris, have been given a list of options that includes exempting all rapists from the scheme, the Telegraph reports.

Andy Burnham paused the early release scheme, set to be launched in September.

He said that no prisoners will be freed under the early release policy "until we have conducted an urgent review and done everything we can to minimise risk to the public".

Ministers are set to announce the results of the review next week.

On Tuesday, rape victim Jade Belgrove and sexual abuse compensation solicitor Amy Clowrey handed in a petition signed by more than 100,000 people calling on Mr Burnham to scrap the plans.

Mr Burnham said: “Keeping the public safe will always be my top priority.

“I am working closely with the new justice secretary and have instructed my team to put a pause on the changes that were due to start in September.

“No prisoners will be let out under this policy until we have conducted an urgent review and done everything we can to minimise risk to the public.

“Where changes are needed, we will not hesitate to make them.”

The family of killed police officer Andrew Harper criticised the fact that two of his killers were being considered for early release. Lissie Harper, his widow, described the scheme as “deplorable”.

Pc Harper was 28 years old when he sustained fatal injuries while responding to a quad bike theft in Sulhamstead, Berkshire, in August 2019.

The driver of the vehicle that caused Pc Harper’s death, Henry Long, received a 16-year sentence, and would not have been eligible for the scheme.

But early release was on the cards for Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, who were passengers in the car and handed 13 years in custody for manslaughter after a trial at the Old Bailey in 2020.

Both men could have become eligible to be released from prison after serving half of their sentences, rather than two-thirds.