Labour has released more than 38,000 criminals from jail early under its soft justice programme.
New figures from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) show 38,042 offenders were let out of prison under the scheme between its launch in September 2024 and the end of June.
The Government introduced extra sentence discounts for the majority of criminals which allow them to be released after serving just 40 per cent of a sentence handed down by a court.
It led to distasteful scenes of lags popping champagne corks outside prison gates in September last year, as some vowed to be life-long Labour voters as a result of being freed early.
The number of prisoners being freed under the scheme is increasing.
June saw 4,358 offenders let out early under the programme, known as ‘SDS40’, the highest monthly number since October last year when there was an initial surge of backdated releases.
On the first day of Labour’s scheme in September 2024, lags released early were seen celebrating outside jails. Pictured: A man celebrates as he is released from HMP Wandsworth
Since the scheme began more than 38,000 prisoners have been freed early by Labour, with monthly numbers on the rise. Pictured: Shabana Mahmood visits HMP Millsike near York earlier this year when she was Justice Secretary
More than 1,000 serious criminals who were sentenced to more than a decade in jail have now been released early by Labour.
The MoJ data showed 346 of those freed so far had been handed sentences of 14 years or more, while 710 had been ordered to serve between 10 and 14 years.
Under Labour’s scheme, a criminal given 14 years by a court will serve just five and a half years.
Those jailed for sex crimes, terrorism and serious violent crimes carrying more than four years in jail are excluded from the early release terms.
But violent offenders sentenced to less than four years can be freed early, including killers convicted of manslaughter.
A previous scheme introduced by the former Tory government – letting inmates out up to 70 days early – led to 13,325 offenders being freed over 11 months, less than one third of the rate being let out by Labour.
Shabana Mahmood introduced the programme in September last year when she was Justice Secretary to free up space in the overcrowded jails.
Some freed inmates committed new offences within hours.
A former prisoner celebrates his early release with friends who picked him up in a Lamborghini
Ms Mahmood then drew up new soft-justice measures that could allow even greater sentence discounts, while tens of thousands of other criminals would dodge jail altogether.
For the first time it can be revealed that more than 1,000 convicts sentenced to ten years or more have already been let out, despite the seriousness of their offending and the severity of their punishment. Pictured: HMP Wandsworth
Under the Sentencing Bill, currently going through Parliament, courts will no longer impose jail terms of less than 12 months other than in ‘exceptional circumstances’.
Criminals convicted of serious violence or sex offences would be freed after half their term, rather than the current three-quarters point.
Most other offenders could be released after serving just a third of their sentence.
Justice Secretary David Lammy and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood at Labour party conference in Liverpool in September
Ms Mahmood has since been moved to the Home Office where she is responsible for ensuring police are catching criminals, who are then let out of jail by her former department.
The early release scheme is now overseen by Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy.
