Legal News

Chris Grayling the Justice Secretary has plans to crack down on criminals who were or are freed from jail halfway through their sentence.

Talking on the requirements to get tough sentencing rules in Britain he said that the inmates were being allowed to walk free from prison early and said he hoped to provide the public with ‘reassurance’ over the coming months.

The comments were seen in the light of ex-Cabinet minister Chris Huhne and his former wife Vicky Pryce who were released far ahead of their eight month sentence after serving only two months.

Other offenders who were released half way through their sentence include Karen Matthews, who was released from prison last year after serving half of an eight year sentence for kidnapping her nine year old daughter in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, which led to a huge manhunt in the area.

A backbench Tory MP Philip Davies who has been behind the campaign for longer jail terms said “overwhelming majority” of the public wanted offenders to serve the terms they were given.

In response Mr Grayling said that he was sympathetic to the view and also hoped to be able to provide further reassurance in coming months.

The sources have revealed that Mr Grayling has ordered to review on changing the current sentencing regime introduced a decade ago, which allows everyone apart from the most serious criminals from being freed after serving only half their sentence.
Mr Grayling's plans will initially focus on the most serious violent and sexual offenders, where they will have to earn the right to be released, instead of being automatically freed regardless of their behaviour while in jail.
Continuing their education or carrying out work behind bars and showing a willingness to earn the skills to go straight are among possible ways inmates could earn their right to be released.
The plan, which is likely to require additional prison places, will initially be limited to the more serious offenders because of budget constraints.
But Mr Grayling wants to move to a sentencing regime which is easier to understand and will rebuild public trust, with one option being to introduce a system where the courts can specify minimum and maximum sentences. Under the new system, prisoners will only be able to leave jail after their minimum sentence is served by having earned their release.
Mr Grayling revealed his thoughts after questions were asked at Westminster by Mr Davies on the early release of Chris Huhne and his former wife. Mr Huhne and Ms Pryce, who were jailed for perverting the course of justice by swapping speeding points, benefited from further time being cut from their sentences in exchange for wearing tags.