Andy Burnham Takes Tough Stance: Killers & Grooming Gang Members Denied Early Release

An early prison release scheme, initially designed to alleviate severe jail overcrowding, faced significant public backlash, leading to a major reversal by the government. The scheme, which had planned for approximately 5,000 prisoners to be freed early from September – a figure already reduced from an initial 6,000 after rapists and "serious" child sex offenders were exempted – drew widespread condemnation when it emerged that individuals convicted of serious crimes, including the manslaughter of PC Andrew Harper, could be eligible.

In response to this outcry, Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced fresh changes on Sunday, August 30. Under these revised rules, anyone convicted of unlawful killing, encompassing all forms of manslaughter and death by dangerous driving, will be explicitly excluded from the early release scheme. Furthermore, perpetrators of grooming gang offences will also be blocked from early release, addressing concerns about potential loopholes. Indecent assault, an offence used for some child sex offenders before 2003 legal reforms, has also been added to the list of exemptions, ensuring historic child sex offenders remain incarcerated.

These stringent modifications mean that "hundreds" of additional people will now remain in prison, as stated by Prime Minister Burnham. The case of Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole, convicted of the manslaughter of PC Andrew Harper in Berkshire in 2020, was a significant catalyst for these changes. The public outrage, amplified by a petition signed by over a million people, demanded that those responsible for the officer's death should not have their sentences shortened. Mr. Burnham reiterated his shared concern and anger, affirming that the "awful criminals responsible for the killing of PC Andrew Harper will not have their sentence shortened."

To concurrently address prison overcrowding without compromising public safety through early release of serious offenders, Prime Minister Burnham outlined alternative strategies. These include the deportation of foreign prisoners and the eventual release of inmates serving indefinite Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences, which were abolished in 2012 but still apply to offenders sentenced between 2005 and 2012 who were deemed a significant risk to the public.

Mr. Burnham expressed "long-standing concerns" about the "injustice" of the IPP system, where many individuals, some convicted at a young age for crimes "not at the same level of seriousness" as those initially considered for early release, have remained in jail long past their tariff. He pledged to bring forward legislation by the end of the current Parliament to reform these sentences. However, he cautioned that releasing IPP prisoners would require a "very careful" approach due to ongoing public safety risks, necessitating the establishment of a cross-party oversight group to manage the process, which could take years to implement and will not be part of the initial measures to ease overcrowding.

The Prime Minister also confirmed that a review of the changes to the Sentencing Act, led by Justice Secretary Alex Norris, is underway and slated for publication upon Parliament's return from summer recess. Mr. Burnham emphasized his commitment to public safety, asserting that he "couldn’t have pushed the system any further" without risking a situation where "new offenders coming through the court system" for "the most serious offences" might not be able to be sent to prison because jails are full, a situation he "can’t allow to arise either."