Staggering number of prisoners let out by mistake revealed in new justice crisis | Politics | News

New figures show a shocking almost 180 criminals were wrongly released from prison.

The Ministry of Justice said 179 prisoners were “erroneously” released in England and Wales between April 2025 and March 2026.

In November, the Justice Department said 91 prisoners were “erroneously” released between April and October.

However, the latest available data suggests this number is higher than first thought and currently stands at 129 over the six-month period.

According to the Ministry of Justice report, 50 more prisoners have been released by mistake since then.

The Justice Department said faulty releases could include improperly issued jail or detention warrants, incorrect sentencing calculations, or the results of mistakes made by courts or other officials.

The ministry added: “If the person released is not aware of the mistake and does not attempt to evade arrest, then he has not committed an additional crime and may not be at fault in that sense.

“If the situation is believed to have been manipulated by the prisoner, for example by obtaining the identity of another person, this will be mistakenly classified as an escape and not a release.”

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