About 6,500 offenders, including rapists, killers and child sex abusers, could be eligible for early release under Labour’s sentencing reforms, according to Conservative analysis.
The government had a plan to free up around 10,000 prison spaces by allowing serious, violent and sexual offenders on fixed-term sentences of four years or more to leave prison at the halfway stage, rather than at two-thirds, if they comply with prison rules and rehabilitation programmes.
The proposal is contained in Labour’s new sentencing bill, currently before Parliament.
The Conservatives argue the changes would apply to 85% of serious offenders serving determinate sentences.
These figures suggest around 2,100 rapists, paedophiles, stalkers and child groomers could see their time in custody cut, including 62%of all rapists and more than 80% of child sex offenders convicted of grooming, rape or indecent image offences.
Shadow justice minister Kieran Mullan condemned the reforms, calling them a betrayal of victims and a gift to rapists and paedophiles.
He added that Keir Starmer is putting criminals before communities and letting predators out early. “Anyone who votes for these plans will have to explain why these crimes no longer count among the most serious offences.”
In response, the Conservatives will table an amendment to block early release for the most serious crimes, including rape, assault by penetration, grievous bodily harm, stalking and all sexual offences against children.
The party also wants courts to publish detailed sentencing data and to make judges’ sentencing remarks public within 48 hours.
Further Tory proposals include automatically removing parental rights from adults convicted of child sex crimes, extending the 28-day limit for challenges to unduly lenient sentences, and widening the use of whole-life orders for the murder of police and prison officers.
