Murder after early jail release

Nov 29 2008 by Neil Atkinson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A TRAGIC murder in Dewsbury was one of the cases highlighted in a row over early release of prisoners.

More than 40,000 convicts have been released early to ease the prisons overcrowding crisis, new figures have revealed.

Under End of Custody Licence, prisoners can be let out 18 days before they finish half of their sentence.

The controversial scheme was intended for short sentence convicts imprisoned for less serious offences, and should exclude those jailed for murder, manslaughter and other violent crimes.

But three violent criminals – including a Dewsbury man – were released by accident last month, the Ministry of Justice said. They have since been returned to prison.

Last month it emerged three alleged murders had been committed by early release criminals.