Sir Gavin Williamson has called on the Government to confirm that individuals convicted of domestic abuse will not be eligible for early release as the Justice Secretary confirmed plans to release almost 1,500 offenders.
Under the proposals, inmates serving between one and four years imprisonment who are recalled for breaching their licences, will be released after 28 days. There are fears that licence breaches could include contact with a victim, thus potentially creating a situation where an abuser is free to walk the streets after less than a month following recall – despite posing an inherent danger to society.
Campaigners and influential figures including the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, have raised serious concerns that Government proposals could put victims in danger and create a loss of confidence in the justice system.
The Government has already been heavily criticised for releasing offenders before their original sentence. According to Government documents, between September and December 2024, 16,321 prisoners were released on licence under a scheme announced last year to free offenders after serving 40% rather than 50% of their sentence.
Sir Gavin said: “Victims and their loved ones will be rightly angry and scared of the prospect of abusers being released early from their sentence.
“Domestic abuse is a sickening crime that has a life-long impact on all aspects of a victims’ life. Offenders must be appropriately punished and justice must be served to ensure that victims can try and rebuild following a deeply traumatic period of their lives.
“The prospect of domestic abusers being released after 28 days of breaching their licence, is truly worrying and allows abusers to walk free and potentially interact with victims once more.
“I am urging the Government to confirm that those convicted of such a crime, will not be eligible for early release under such a scheme. The first duty of Government is to protect the public and I implore the Government not to abandon this principle.”
