Burnham excludes rapists and serious child sex offenders from early release plans

Around 1,000 rapists and child sex offenders will remain exempt from Labour’s early prison release scheme - but why couldn’t Andy Burnham go further? Alex Ross explores the crisis facing prisons

Justice secretary says ministers would have liked to block more but doing so would cause prison system to ‘break’UK politics live – latest updatesAbout 1,000 fewer prisoners will be released early after Andy Burnham’s intervention to exclude those convicted of rape, serious child sexual offences and grooming from the scheme.The justice secretary, Alex Norris, said 5,000 prisoners would be released over 10 months from October in England and Wales, down from the government’s original plan for 6,000 from September. Continue reading...

Andy Burnham said he understood public anger over the early release of prisoners.Rapists and serious child sex offenders will not be eligible for early release from prison, Andy Burnham has announced.Those convicted of grooming offences will also have to serve their full sentences after the prime minister responded to an angry public backlash.However, murderers will still be eligible for early release after the prime minister admitted prisons could run out of spaces if they were included too.Burnham said he “wanted to go even further”, but couldn’t without the prison system collapsing.The prime minister paused plans to release prisoners early in September to ease overcrowding in jails. The scheme will now be delayed until October.A furious row erupted earlier this month when it emerged that two of the three people responsible for killing PC Andrew Harper in 2019 could be released.However, they will still be eligible for early release despite the changes announced by Burnham.PC Harper’s widow Lissie said she is “beyond appalled and bristling with anger”, while Thames Valley Police Chief Constable Jason Hogg said the decision not to exclude them is “demoralising for all police officers”.Announcing the changes, Burnham said: “Keeping the public safe is my top priority. That’s why I asked for an urgent review of the prisoner release scheme.“I fully understand the anger, anxiety and distress that’s been caused. I’ve heard that loud and clear.“That’s why we’re making significant changes: offenders who have been sentenced for rape, serious child sex offences and other grooming offences will be excluded from the changes.“I want to be honest – I wanted to go even further as I know there will still be concerns about other offenders having their sentence shortened.“But it’s not possible without the prison system reaching capacity and collapsing, which would put public safety at much greater risk.“That’s why we will also be introducing much tougher community measures.“There will be a presumption that all offenders are tagged, longer periods of supervision and tough new rules, including restriction zones for offenders.”Some 6,000 offenders had been due to be let out of prison in September after serving a third of their sentence – rather than half – in a bid to ease prison overcrowding.Prisoners serving longer sentences of four years or more would be eligible for release at the halfway point of their term, rather than at two-thirds as had previously been the case.In a bid to increase prison capacity, Burnham said the government will deliver “the fastest prison building programme since the Victorian era”, aiming to create 14,000 new prison places by 2031.He has also asked justice secretary Alex Norris to look at how the UK can deport more foreign offenders currently housed in British jails.Shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy said the changes were “a victory for victims”.He said: “Labour whipped their MPs to vote to let rapists, paedophiles, and grooming gang perpetrators out of prison early.“Now they admit the Conservative campaign to stop this was right – this is a victory for victims.“But their U-turn doesn’t go far enough. Some child sex offenders and killers, like those responsible for the death of PC Harper, will still be released early. And the trauma of victims being told their abusers may be released can’t be undone.“One of Andy Burnham’s first acts as prime minister will be to let thousands of criminals – including killers and paedophiles – out early.”Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.Related...Andy Burnham Pauses Early Release Prisoner Scheme After BacklashBurnham Slaps Down Streeting And Mahmood Over Early Release Joke Caught On Hot MicStreeting And Mahmood Forced To Apologise After Early Release Joke Caught On Camera

Andy Burnham will also delay release of thousands of prisoners across England and Wales a month, until OctoberRapists, child sexual abusers and groomers will be excluded from early release plans to ease critical prison overcrowding in a major intervention by Andy Burnham.The prime minister said on Tuesday that he will delay the planned early release of thousands of prisoners across England and Wales by a month until October. Continue reading...