Government confirms killers excluded from early release as prison space plan unveiled

The government has confirmed that anyone convicted of unlawful killing, including all forms of manslaughter, will be excluded from the early release scheme designed to ease prison overcrowding. The move follows weeks of public and political backlash, triggered in part by the potential release of two of PC Andrew Harper's killers.

PC Harper was killed in 2019 while responding to a burglary. Two of the men convicted of his manslaughter, Jesse Cole and Albert Bowers, had been due for early release under the scheme. Their case became a lightning rod for wider anger over the policy, with a petition against their release attracting nearly one million signatures and more than 50 police chiefs writing to the Prime Minister.

The Chief Inspector of Probation for England and Wales warned that the early release of thousands of prisoners could lead to serious reoffending, including sexual or violent offences, or even murder, because probation staff were already overwhelmed. One probation officer who spoke to the BBC described the situation as "pure panic" and warned that missed plans could lead to "death under supervision."

The government initially argued that it could not exclude manslaughter cases without risking the collapse of the prison system. But over the weekend, the Prime Minister announced a U-turn, confirming that anyone convicted of unlawful killing would be excluded. The number of prisoners due for early release has now fallen from around 6,000 to 4,500.

To make up the shortfall in prison capacity, the government has announced £110 million of funding to convert unused spaces within prisons, such as laundry rooms and offices, into cells. It has also pledged to end indefinite sentences known as IPPs (Imprisonment for Public Protection), which were scrapped in 2012 but still affect more than 2,000 prisoners, over 850 of whom have never been released.

The Justice Secretary, Alex Norris, is expected to set out the full details of the revised scheme in Parliament. The government says it is also investing £700 million in probation services and will introduce GPS tagging and "restriction zones" for released offenders.

However, concerns remain. Domestic abusers are still eligible for early release, and victims' groups have warned that the probation service is too understaffed to monitor offenders effectively. The male prison estate is running at around 98% capacity, with fewer than 1,700 spaces left.

The Conservatives have criticised the government's approach, arguing that freeing IPP prisoners would simply release one group of dangerous criminals to make room for another. But ministers insist they inherited a prison system on the brink of collapse and are taking the necessary steps to keep the most serious offenders behind bars.