Sexual Abuse Victims ‘Exhausted’ by Fears over Early Release Scheme
The Government paused the plan after survivors said 6,000 prisoners could be eligible for release sooner under sentencing changes.
- On Tuesday, Prime Minister Andy Burnham paused the entire early release programme after survivors delivered a petition signed by more than 100,000 to Downing Street calling for him to 'urgently rethink' the plans.
- Under changes in the Sentencing Act, some 6,000 offenders were set for release in September to ease prison overcrowding, with prisoners serving four years or more becoming eligible at the halfway point rather than two-thirds of their sentences.
- At a press conference in central London, victims testified to their trauma, with Marie Stone saying 'We are exhausted. Absolutely exhausted' and Carol Higgins describing how every minute cut from her father's 20-year sentence adds to her 'complex PTSD' and fear.
- Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch called for emergency legislation, stating 'We were all told the most serious offenders would be excluded' but 'that is simply not true,' while shadow justice minister Kieran Mullan said Labour had been 'fundamentally dishonest' about the policy.
- Officials are conducting an urgent review while building additional jail places beyond the 3,000 already delivered to restore public confidence, though Labour countered that Conservatives created the crisis by failing to expand prison capacity during their 14 years in Government.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Grooming Gang Victims Urge UK PM Burnham to Reverse Plan to Release Predators Early.
Survivors of grooming gang abuse are calling on British Prime Minister Andy Burnham to take decisive action to prevent dangerous offenders from being released early under planned prison reforms.PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: Two survivors of grooming gang abuse, Sarah Wilson and Jade Belgrove, have urged British Prime Minister Andy Burnham to permanently exclude serious sexual and violent offenders from the Labour government’s planned early prisone…
Grooming gang survivors demand 'urgent action' from Andy Burnham to block perpetrators from early release scheme
Two grooming gang survivors have called on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to take "urgent action" to block serious offenders from being eligible for the early release prison scheme.Speaking to GB News, Sarah Wilson and Jade Belgrove declared that the Labour Government "must stop" offenders including sexual abusers to be released early.Having sent a letter to Mr Burnham calling for him to take action, Ms Belgrove told GB News stressed that survivors…
The Independent
The Independent (US)Tories urge Burnham to halt early release of dangerous prisoners
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