Prison bosses are having to ‘carefully choreograph’ tomorrow’s mass releases over fears of violent clashes between gang rivals, MailOnline understands.
Around 1,700 criminals will be set free early under the Labour government’s new early release scheme, which ministers insist is necessary to tackle overcrowding.
A significant number of inmates at jails such as HMP Wandsworth and HMP Thameside in London are subject to ‘non-association’ orders preventing them from mixing with other inmates – usually members of rival gangs.
This means their releases will have to be staggered to avoid violence, a source told MailOnline.
They added that these releases were being done in small groups, but warned that any delays with getting prisoners to reception, recovering their property and arranging transport could lead to rivals being brought together by mistake.
A significant number of inmates at jails such as HMP Wandsworth are subject to ‘non-association’ orders
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood during a visit to HMP Bedford in Harpur, Bedfordshire
Inmates now behind bars will be set free after serving only 40 per cent of their sentence – the first time this has been lowered from the previous 50 per cent.
The controversial move will be the largest release of prisoners in a decade, with some prisons in rural areas preparing to lay on coaches to transport freed criminals.
Dame Diana Johnson, the policing minister, insisted plans would be put in place to avoid reoffending by domestic abusers and other high-risk criminals.
‘For those who will be released tomorrow, probation have been working very hard to make sure that there are plans in place,’ she told the BBC.
‘People are released on licence and can be recalled if they commit further offences.
‘So there’s a whole range of things that are already in place to make sure tomorrow goes as well as we can expect, but clearly nobody wants to be doing this.’
Asked how many prisoners were due to be released tomorrow, she said: ‘I understand it’s in the region of about 1,700.’
A senior government source warned yesterday that a high proportion of those released tomorrow would be domestic abusers.
Nicole Jacobs, the domestic abuse commissioner, warned that about a third of domestic abuse survivors were likely unaware that their perpetrators are due to set free.
She told the Times that victims were ‘paying the price’ for Britain’s overcrowded prisons, warning that survivors are at risk of their attackers getting in contact with them, with them likely knowing their workplace and home address.
‘We must ensure that victims aren’t lost in the shuffle of the changes that are being made in the prison release schemes and the perception of justice and fairness.
‘Victims of domestic abuse are very focused on those release dates, it causes them sleepless nights, they will change so much of their daily activities knowing that their perpetrator is being released, the uncertainty of not knowing if that person will comply with licensing conditions and of release.
‘This is incredibly stressful in the normal situation so for those dates to change unexpectedly or without them knowing that is a huge consequence for them to pay.’
Among the 1,700 set to walk free next Tuesday is Connor Shaw who was sentenced 32 months behinds bars after breaking his partner’s jaw, strangling her, and threatening to throw acid in her face
Shane Riley, who said he ‘enjoyed’ attacking his partner after she broke off their relationship will also be free after serving barely nine months of his sentence
Jordan Green, who was put behind bars after he pleaded guilty to robbery and dangerous driving in March, will also be released under the new scheme
Newly appointed Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said measures have been taken to reduce the number of domestic offenders being freed by excluding those serving time for coercive control, stalking, harassment, a breach of a restraining or non-molestation order or non-fatal throttling.
But prisoners convicted of broader offences like assault or criminal damage, which are not specific to domestic violence, are not excluded.
Among the prisoners set to walk free are a man who told his partner he was ‘enjoying’ attacking her and another who strangled his partner and broke her jaw, it was reported yesterday.
Under Sir Keir’s new scheme, Connor Shaw will only serve 13 months of his prison sentence after subjecting his partner to years of mental and physical abuse.
He was originally sentenced 32 months behind bars after breaking her jaw, strangling her, and threatening to throw acid in her face.
Another abuser who could be granted freedom after serving barely half of his prison sentence is Shane Riley.
Criminals exempt from the new early release scheme include those with sentences for sexual and violent offences of over four years (stock image)
The then 44-year-old said he was ‘enjoying’ assaulting his partner as he punched, kicked and headbutted the victim in her Soham home when she broke off their relationship on June 8, 2020.
He was sentenced to 23 months for causing actual bodily harm, common assault, making threats to kill, and criminal damage. He will serve less than nine months.
Another offender who will also taste freedom thanks to Labour’s new scheme will be Jordan Green, who was put behind bars after he pleaded guilty to robbery and dangerous driving in March.
He was jailed for 27 months after an incident saw him approach a woman’s window in Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees and screech: ‘Get out of the f***ing car’
He proceeded to hurl her mobile phone out of his window as he sped off, which allowed her to take an image of the criminal.
Green, who was previously handed a prison sentence after he attacked his own mother. will only spend four months in jail.
Official figures showed there were 88,521 people behind bars on Friday, 171 more than the previous record set at the end of last week.
The prison population has now risen by 1,025 people over the past four weeks and now stands at its highest level since weekly population data was first published in 2011.
Crimes exempt from the new early release scheme include prisoners sentences for sexual and violent offences of over four years.
The Justice Secretary said she has been told that the emergency early release plan could prevent prisons running out of space within weeks.
The MOJ has said the move will give them an extra 18 months to allow more prison places to be freed up and allow for a wider review of sentencing to take place.