Keir Starmer ‘uncomfortable’ at scenes of ex-lags celebrating outside prisons but No10 insists PM was right to release them early to free cells despite reoffending fears – as it emerges some will be put up in hotels _ HIeuuk
Keir Starmer ‘uncomfortable’ at scenes of ex-lags celebrating outside prisons but No10 insists PM was right to release them early to free cells despite reoffending fears – as it emerges some will be put up in hotels
Downing Street defended releasing hundreds of prisoners early today despite admitting Keir Starmer is ‘uncomfortable’ at footage of jubilant lags celebrating being freed.
The Prime Minister is under pressure as convicted criminals including drug dealers popped champagne and partied outside penitentiaries after serving just 40 per cent of sentences.
The Labour government is letting 1,700 prisoners out today to ease record overcrowding and prevent the criminal justice system from seizing up entirely due to a lack of cells. Some 5,000 will be freed in the coming weeks.
Some were greeted by a cacophony on their release, with friends blasting out music and giving them new clothes, and some even spraying the former prisoners with sparkling wine to celebrate their newfound freedom.
One convicted drug dealer said the policy had made him a ‘lifelong Labour voter’, while another insisted that he was a ‘good boy now’ after walking out to reunite with his family.
Asked if the PM was comfortable with the scenes, a No10 spokeswoman said he was not, adding: ‘The situation is completely unacceptable. It is, however, the right thing to do to ensure that we did not face a situation where criminality would be left unchecked along the streets because we didn’t have enough prison places.
‘So this was a difficult decision, but it was the right thing to do to protect public safety.’
The Prime Minister is under pressure as convicted criminals including drug dealers celebrated outside penitentiaries after serving just 40 per cent of sentences.
The Labour government is letting 1,700 prisoners out early to ease record overcrowding and prevent the criminal justice system from seizing up entirely due to a lack of cells.
Asked if the PM was comfortable with the scenes, a No10 spokeswoman said he was not, adding: ‘The situation is completely unacceptable. It is, however, the right thing to do to ensure that we did not face a situation where criminality would be left unchecked along the streets because we didn’t have enough prison places.’
She added: ‘The Prime Minister is very clear that it is completely unacceptable to have been put in this position, the government inherited a prison system which is in crisis, but we had to act to ensure that the criminal justice system didn’t collapse, and that we could continue to lock up dangerous criminals to keep people safe.
‘That was the reality of the choice facing the government, and indeed, you had statements from the police about the real dangers and risks posed to victims, were they unable to make arrests and if criminality went unchecked on our streets. So this was the only option to keep our prisons running.’
Meanwhile the Justice Secretary revealed some of those freed could be put up in hotels.
Shabana Mahmood told the Commons that inmates who are homeless on release could be temporarily placed in taxpayer-funded budget hotels if there is not enough space in bail hostels and other community accommodation typically used for offenders.
However, despite the scenes of joy that were commonplace across the country, experts have warned about the impact of releasing the convicts early with suggestions a third could reoffend.
Those released today included hardened drug dealers, violent domestic abusers and even people who have played roles in the killing of teenagers, much to the fury of their victims’ loved ones.
There have also been concerns about the impact on communities where they are released with some admitting they will immediately become homeless after they are set free.
Ministers have insisted that everyone released will have a management plan and be subject to strict licence rules.
Ministry of Justice (MoJ) figures showed the prison population hit a record high of 88,521 on Friday, having risen by more than 1,000 inmates over the past four weeks.
Meanwhile it emerged Rishi Sunak ignored calls from Britain’s most senior police officers a week before the election warning him that failure to trigger the so-called SDS40 policy would be exploited by criminals.
The move comes after Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced plans in July to temporarily cut the proportion of sentences which inmates must serve behind bars from 50 per cent to 40 per cent as the MoJ said overcrowding had pushed jails to the ‘point of collapse’.
Meanwhile it emerged Rishi Sunak ignored calls from Britain’s most senior police officers a week before the election warning him that failure to trigger the so-called SDS40 policy would be exploited by criminals.
A letter obtained by The Times dated June 27, signed by figures including Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley and the chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council Gavin Stephens, said the overcrowding crisis in prisons was hampering police officers’ ability to do their job as they urged the then prime minister to put the plan in motion immediately because it would take ‘many weeks to safely implement’.
Chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor said the Government ‘had no choice but to do something’ about overcrowding because ‘the bath was in danger of overflowing, and they either had to turn the taps off or they had to let some water out’.
But he warned it was ‘inevitable that some of these prisoners will get recalled to custody’ and that some will be homeless on release – increasing the risk that they could go on to commit more crimes.
‘If people are coming out, they’re not properly prepared, and they’re homeless, then what we’ll see is the danger that they’ll commit more offences, or that they breach their bail conditions, in which case they’ll end up back inside again,’ he said.
The move comes after Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced plans in July to temporarily cut the proportion of sentences which inmates must serve behind bars from 50 per cent to 40 per cent as the MoJ said overcrowding had pushed jails to the ‘point of collapse’.
On Monday it emerged some victims were not prepared in the wake of their perpetrators being freed early, with The Times reporting hundreds had not been informed.
The Victims’ Commissioner of England and Wales, Baroness Newlove, branded it ‘regrettable’ that some had still not been told this was happening on the eve of the policy coming into force.
There are also fears not all criminals with a history of domestic abuse will be exempt from the policy despite efforts to keep them behind bars.
On Monday it emerged some victims were not prepared in the wake of their perpetrators being freed early, with The Times reporting hundreds had not been informed.
The Government said those convicted of sex offences, terrorism, domestic abuse and violent crimes would not be freed early under the scheme.
But because there is no single offence for domestic abuse, and only certain crimes like coercive control, harassment and stalking which are specifically linked to this were excluded, meaning other attackers convicted of crimes like threats to kill and actual bodily harm could still qualify for early release.
Domestic Abuse Commissioner Nicole Jacobs – who had called for a blanket exemption for all known perpetrators – said: ‘There is no justice in allowing perpetrators of domestic abuse to be released early.
‘I worry that it might not be possible for every victim to be notified of their abuser’s release and I fear they may be left blindsided, without the time to seek vital support and guidance’.
Rioters are among those who could end up spending less time behind bars as the Government last month confirmed those involved in recent unrest would not be specifically excluded from early release.
Although those convicted of serious violence and serving sentences of four years or more will not be eligible, according to officials.
