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Badenoch Urges Burnham to Publish Full List of Eligible Offences
Kemi Badenoch has warned that child sex offenders and other serious criminals could be freed early under the government's prison release scheme, calling it a betrayal of victims. The Tory leader wrote to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, noting that indecent assault is not on the list of excluded offences, meaning some convicted of child sex abuse before 2004, including cases in Rotherham and Rochdale, may qualify.
The government plans to release about 5,000 offenders in England and Wales early to ease overcrowding, with changes starting in October. Burnham has excluded those convicted of rape, serious child sex, and grooming offences, but said more exemptions would risk the prison system collapsing. The prison population stood at 86,495 on 3 August, 97% of capacity.
Badenoch urged Burnham to publish the full list of eligible offences. The Ministry of Justice has been approached for comment.
Source: BBC Politics