UK government bars rapists and child sex offenders from early release scheme

After pausing a September early-release initiative, Prime Minister Andy Burnham confirmed the scheme will resume in October with a ban on offenders convicted of rape, grooming or serious child sexual crimes. The decision responded to outcry from survivors such as Lissie Harper, whose husband PC Andrew Harper was killed in a 2019 incident. The government will inject £10 million into frontline victim-support, including a national helpline, and will modify eligibility so prisoners serving four years or longer can be released halfway through their terms.

Those serving shorter sentences may be freed after a third of their time. Convicts of the newly excluded offences who serve their full terms will receive a year of GPS monitoring and stricter community supervision. Officials said the adjustments aim to ease prison overcrowding without compromising public safety.