Whistleblowers say sex and other violent offenders are set to be released under the Labour government’s plans to release thousands of prisoners early

Whistleblowers from the Prison Service warned yesterday that sex and other violent offenders would be released from prison under the Government’s early release scheme.

Sources say a “loophole” in Labour’s policy means serious sex offenders are allowed to walk freely, despite Government assurances that such offences will not be covered by the scheme.

According to Channel 4 News, they include a convicted sex offender and a stalker who are set to be released under the ‘SDS40’ scheme, which is due to come into effect next week as ministers seek to tackle prison overcrowding.

Whistleblowers from the Prison Service told the programme that prisoners serving consecutive sentences for more than one offence were being considered for early release based on the end date of their sentence for the less serious offence.

This raises serious concerns for the protection of the public as their early release also means that the probation service and other agencies will have less time to plan for their return to society.

The early release of such criminals would also be a devastating blow to their victims.

Channel 4 News has learned that the prisoner is due to be released four months early after serving a lengthy sentence for serious sex offences.

He qualifies for the SDS40 program because he has completed sentences for sex offences and his shorter sentence for a less serious offence qualifies for the program.

It means he could be released within weeks, although his victims expected him to remain in prison until next year.

A Probation Service whistleblower told the programme: “That, to me, is a clear loophole. It doesn’t fit justice. It certainly doesn’t fit victims’ rights.”

Another probation officer said he was working on the case of a “high-risk man” convicted of harassment, an offense that is ineligible for parole.

However, a separate conviction for a driving offence meant he was now eligible for parole, they said, adding: “This seems to make a mockery of not only what the government has said but also the issue of risk.”

Probation officers’ union NAPO has warned that the service is already overworked, while Channel 4 has reported that Freedom of Information Act figures show that the average probation officer now works the equivalent of six days in a five-day week.

The prison population in England and Wales has hit a record high this year, with some 88,350 people held at the end of August – the highest ever.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “The new government inherited a justice system in crisis, with prisons on the brink of collapse. It was forced to introduce an early release scheme to stem the crisis, which would overwhelm the criminal justice system, meaning we would no longer be able to lock up dangerous criminals and protect the public.

The new Lord Chancellor announced in July that she was scrapping the previous government’s early release scheme and replacing it with a system that gives probation staff more time to prepare for a prisoner’s release.

“The government has also planned to recruit more than 1,000 new probation officer trainees by March 2025 to meet the additional demand.”