A major shift in prison release policies has been announced, with the prime minister confirming that anyone convicted of unlawful killing—including manslaughter—will now be barred from early release schemes designed to reduce overcrowding. The decision follows public outrage over the potential early release of two killers linked to the murder of a police officer, prompting a reversal of earlier plans that had sparked widespread controversy. The move comes after a government review triggered by concerns over the release of violent offenders, including those convicted of serious sexual crimes. The announcement signals a hardening of stance on prisoner eligibility amid growing public skepticism over the scheme’s fairness.
PM says anyone convicted of unlawful killing, including all forms of manslaughter, will be excluded from the schemePC Andrew Harper’s killers will remain behind bars after Andy Burnham announced changes to the early release scheme aimed at easing prison overcrowding, saying he understood “how strongly people feel about this issue”.The prime minister said anyone convicted of unlawful killing, including all forms of manslaughter, would be excluded from the scheme, which would have made two of the officer’s killers eligible for early release. It comes after Burnham previously ordered a review of plans for the early release of thousands of killers, rapists and sex offenders from prison in September. Continue reading...
