Fears domestic abusers will be released from prison under early release scheme

‘The early release of perpetrators will have a detrimental impact on both the physical safety and mental wellbeing of survivors,’ says campaigner

Related video: Robert Jenrick announces help for domestic abuse survivors (Getty/iStock)

Fears have been raised that domestic abusers are “slipping through the net” of the government’s early release scheme for prisoners and victims could be placed at grave risk.

It comes as Downing Street said hundreds of prisoners must be released early to prevent “unchecked criminality” whereby the criminal justice system cannot imprison those who break the law.

Around 1,700 inmates are expected to be released around the country on Tuesday to alleviate the overcrowding crisis overwhelming prisons - with some inmates being let out after serving only 40 per cent of their sentence.

Isabelle Younane, of leading domestic abuse charity Women’s Aid, said they have concerns the “policy is coming at the price of safety for women and children”.

She added: “We have been assured that prisoners convicted of sexual and some domestic abuse offences will not be among those released, but sadly we are hearing from our member services across the country that many perpetrators are slipping through the net, having been convicted of other related offences, such as assault.

“The early release of perpetrators will have a detrimental impact on both the physical safety and mental wellbeing of survivors, who have been able to live in safety and begun to rebuild their lives free from fear while their abuser was in prison.”

Ms Younane warned the early release scheme, which is temporary, is dependant on “an already overstretched and struggling probation service” - raising fears freeing “such high volumes of prisoners at once will push them to breaking point”.

She added: “For a long time, we’ve been warning that probation services across the country are already failing to safeguard survivors, with inadequate monitoring and poor risk assessing of perpetrators.

“Inconsistencies in probation services across the country also means that there is a mixed picture when it comes to how specialist domestic abuse services are involved with safety planning - with many being left out of the process entirely.”

Ms Youanne said anxiety about the “early release of potentially dangerous perpetrators, and a failing probation system” will mean domestic abuse services will “face additional strain as survivors reach out for help”.

She explained Women’s Aid is pleased with the Labour government’s manifesto pledge to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade but warned the early release scheme is a “cause for concern”.

But Sir Keir Starmer has insisted ministers are “doing everything” to make sure domestic abusers are not released early from jail.

It comes after the prison population hit a new record high of 88,521 people on Friday and has surged by more than 1,000 people in the past month - with the increase likely to be the result of the sentencing of those involved in the far right riots last month.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said:“This government inherited a justice system on the verge of collapse. The worst possible outcome for victims would have been to allow this to happen.

“Dangerous criminals would have walked the streets with impunity, knowing the police would not have been able to arrest them, because there would have been no prison cell waiting for them. We have been forced into taking difficult but necessary action, with safeguards in place, so we can keep locking up offenders and protect the public.

“Those released under this scheme will be subject to full probation supervision and will in many cases face tough restrictions such as tags, curfews and exclusion zones.”