UK BLOCKS EARLY RELEASE FOR MANSLAUGHTER AND CHILD SEX OFFENDERS
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By:Tajudeen Aminat
The United Kingdom Government has announced that offenders convicted of manslaughter, death by dangerous driving and historic child sex offences will be excluded from upcoming changes to prison sentences.
The decision means offenders convicted of the specified crimes will remain in custody for longer, while those convicted of killing emergency workers in the line of duty or causing or allowing the death of a child will also be excluded from the sentence reductions.
The Prime Minister’s Office announced the measures on Monday, saying they build on earlier restrictions that prevented offenders convicted of rape, serious sexual offences against children and grooming from benefiting from planned sentencing changes.
The government said murderers and offenders considered by the courts to pose the highest risk, including those serving life or extended sentences, were already excluded from the reductions and would remain in prison until consideration by the Parole Board.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the government had expanded the list of offences excluded from the changes following public concerns over the release of serious offenders.
He said the government had previously acted to prevent offenders convicted of rape, child sexual abuse and grooming from benefiting from the reforms.
Burnham added that the latest measures would ensure that offenders serving sentences for manslaughter and death by dangerous driving would also remain behind bars for longer.
He said the government had reached the limit of what could be done without placing excessive pressure on the prison system, which he warned could otherwise face a serious capacity crisis.
As part of the wider reforms, the government also announced tougher supervision measures for offenders after their release, including electronic tagging and geographical restriction zones designed to prevent them from approaching their victims.
It said some sexual and violent offenders could be restricted from entering designated areas, while victims would have an input in determining how the zones were established.
The government also plans to end Imprisonment for Public Protection sentences during the current Parliament, describing the move as an effort to address cases involving offenders who have remained incarcerated under a sentencing regime abolished more than a decade ago.
In addition, the government announced plans to introduce powers early next year allowing certain foreign criminals to be deported immediately after sentencing.
Justice Secretary Alex Norris said offenders responsible for taking lives or committing serious crimes against children should spend longer periods in custody.
He added that the government would also work to address overcrowding in prisons by creating additional capacity and imposing stricter controls on offenders after their release.
The government said adult male prisons were currently operating at about 98 per cent capacity, adding that more than 3,200 prison places had been created under the current administration, with another 14,000 expected to be available by 2031.
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