The Ministry of Justice’s early release programme, which was introduced to reduce prison overcrowding during the Coronavirus crisis, has been suspended following the accidental release of six dangerous offenders.
The error occurred at two ‘open’ prisons: Leyhill in Gloucestershire and Sudbury in Derbyshire. Among those mistakenly freed were sex offenders and violent criminals, raising significant safety concerns across the affected communities.
Officials acted quickly to locate and return the two high-risk prisoners to custody. While authorities stated that the inmates posed a low risk, they acknowledged that the release was the result of a “human error.” The Prison Service has confirmed it is currently reviewing and tightening its procedures to prevent such incidents from happening again.
A source close to the Justice Secretary commented, “Despite rigorous checks before inmates are freed, this mistake is deeply embarrassing. We are committed to making sure the public is kept safe.”
The incident has sparked widespread outrage among campaigners and the public, who are calling for stronger safeguards and clear accountability to ensure such blunders do not recur.
Originally published by UKNIP.
