First month of early release saw 15 Warwickshire prisoners allowed home

By Andy Mitchell,

Local Democracy Reporter

THE man who oversees policing in Warwickshire has moved to reassure the public over the early release of some prisoners – stating it “had to be done”.

Overcrowding in jails up and down the country has led the government to allow some inmates to leave after completing 40 per cent of their sentences rather than the standard 50 per cent.

Sex offenders, those convicted of domestic abuse or convicts with sentences of four years or more for serious violent offences are not included and it only applies to sentences where prisoners are automatically released after a certain period.

The first day saw around 1,700 prisoners let out early with reports of wider problems connected to reoffending, whether the offenders who needed to be were electronically tagged and providing places to stay for those without homes.

Warwickshire’s Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) Philip Seccombe, the elected politician that holds the county’s force to account, told the Warwickshire Police & Crime Panel, the group of councillors who have oversight of his work, that the numbers would be small.

“We had about 15 released into Warwickshire last month on early release,” he said.

“For October it is mid-20s, it goes up and down a bit. We’re not massively impacted by the release of prisoners but plainly there are those, particularly victims of those prisoners, who have some concerns. There are some safety and protection measures put in.

“I am very much hoping that most of them have a home to go to, they will be encouraged to go to the assistance that is available.

“It is a result of overcrowding in prisons and it had to be done.”

Rugby Borough Council representative Councillor Derek Poole (Con, Wolston & the Lawfords) relayed concerns from residents that they believed the issue had impacted on decisions made by police.

“The rumblings in my ward and town are that some officers are not arresting for offences,” he said.

“Has there been any instruction from above to say ‘don’t arrest for non-serious offences’?”

Mr Seccombe scotched that suggestion.

“Not that I am aware of,” he replied. “I would expect the force to arrest anybody who is in the course of committing a crime, or is allegedly known to have committed a crime. I have seen no such direction.”

Andrew Davies, one of two unelected independent members of the panel, referred to national media reports that some prisoners had been released in error or without electronic tags.

Mr Seccombe said: “There aren’t many Warwickshire residents in prison, the only one we have is half a prison near Rugby, so (those coming into the county) will mainly be coming from prisons like Wolverhampton and Hewell Grange near Redditch.

“I am not aware of any such incidents. We do have a Warwickshire probation service, I meet with them regularly and I haven’t heard any problems on that front.”