Labour handed 10-point plan to end justice and prisons crisis | Politics | News
Ministers have been told that any foreign criminal sentenced to at least six months in prison should be automatically deported to end the prison overcrowding crisis.
Unveiling a series of proposed changes to Labour’s highly controversial Sentencing Bill, Reform’s Sarah Pochin said the Government should abandon plans for the early release of prisoners.
The former judge warned that public safety would be at risk under current plans.
Ms Pochin called on ministers to automatically deport anyone sentenced to more than six months in prison.
And Reform is demanding that the Government commit to regularly reviewing the impact of sentencing reforms if the plans go ahead.
Nigel Farage’s party also wants Article 1 of the Sentencing Bill, which introduces a presumption of suspended prison sentences of 12 months or less, to be repealed over concerns it could lead to an increase in knife crime.
Announcing the proposed change, party officials said: “Questions remain about what this means for those found carrying knives.
“The current situation is that anyone found in possession of a sharp instrument will receive a mandatory six-month prison sentence. Is the Minister of Justice really proposing in this bill to suspend the prison sentences of these criminals?”
Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin said: “This bill is driven by a desire to free up prison spaces, not what is the best way to administer justice. Its primary function is not to protect the public or to protect victims of crime or abuse, in fact it is quite the opposite.”
“A Reform government will prioritize keeping the public safe, protecting women and children, and have zero tolerance for knife crime. If we need more prison space to keep dangerous criminals off our streets, then Reform will build more prisons. It’s that simple.”
Ministry of Justice records show that approximately 12% of the prison population is foreign national.
The per capita cost of keeping a foreign prisoner behind bars in the UK is £54,000 a year.
Reform said Justice Secretary David Lammy had “written a letter to MPs claiming the government was strengthening its ability to deport foreign criminals”.
But Reform said: “But the same letter also says ‘this is subject to various exceptions, including that it would be a breach of the person’s ECHR rights or the UK’s obligations under the Refugee Convention’. So nothing will change and no one will be deported.”
Aiming to ease the crisis in prisons, the Sentencing Bill will restrict the use of short sentences and strengthen community sentences.
It would also include an “earned advancement plan” that would allow inmates with good behavior to be released earlier.
The measures would allow for the early release of inmates serving standard specific sentences who comply with prison rules, with increased supervision in the community, followed by a period of unsupervised licence.
The standard will have a minimum release point of 33% for certain sentences, while the more serious standard will have a minimum release point of 50% for certain sentences.
This will be accompanied by the expansion of tagging to track criminals in society.
Labor said the worst offenders – those sentenced to extended specified sentences or life imprisonment – would never benefit from early progression.
The Sentencing Bill will implement recommendations from a review of the system carried out by former Conservative justice minister David Gauke.
The “earned progression scheme” proposed by Mr Gauke would see an offender’s release date determined by their behaviour. If they comply with prison rules, they will be eligible for early release. Otherwise they will be locked up for longer.
Reform UK warned: “If the law passes unamended, it means dangerous criminals jailed for some of the worst possible crimes, including pedophilia, could be returned to society after serving just a third of their sentence behind bars.”
The Express has revealed how 2,000 perverts convicted of child sex crimes will benefit from lighter sentences.
An analysis of Ministry of Justice criminal statistics found that 2,254 offenders were arrested for sexual offenses against children last year.
This includes 167 perverts who were imprisoned for raping a woman under 16.
Some 548 pedophiles jailed for receiving, permitting, making, distributing or publishing indecent images of children will also spend less time behind bars.
And 229 people convicted of sexual assault could be allowed home sooner if similar numbers were jailed under the proposed new ‘progress model’, figures show.
Another 200 offenders over the age of 18 who are jailed for sexual activity involving a child under 16 will also spend less time in prison.
A staggering 104 people jailed for sexual intercourse with a child under 13 and 248 people caged for sexually assaulting a girl under 13 could also benefit from the most lenient sentencing reforms in a generation.
A shocking 54 people jailed for raping a child under 13 could also be released earlier.
This means a staggering 82% of offenders convicted of child sexual offenses will receive a lighter sentence compared to last year’s figures.
On Monday, the Daily Express revealed that the “progress model”, which could allow offenders out after serving just 33% of their sentences, would be applied retroactively.
This means thousands of people currently incarcerated for crimes such as rape, sexual assault, burglary, stalking, domestic abuse and even death from dangerous driving will serve lesser sentences, even though they have already been convicted.
