Pictures show that several of the prisoners were picked up in luxury cars, which has led to further embarrassment for the government, which has had to release convicts early due to overcrowded prisons.
The images have caused anger among the British population and headaches for Prime Minister Keir Starner.
Pictures show how a man was picked up in a black Rolls-Royce by a group of men in matching hoodies outside a prison in Kent, southeast England At the same prison, another prisoner, who told reporters he had served seven years for kidnapping and serious bodily harm, picked up by a column consisting of a white Bentley and a black Mercedes luxury car.
– Have no choice
Tuesday’s releases are the second phase of the prison emptying. In September, 1,700 prisoners were also released, and pictures showed convicts spraying prosecco to celebrate their newfound freedom.
A spokesperson for Keir Starmer says the Prime Minister is embarrassed by the situation, but that he had no other choice but to release more. The Labor government, which took over in July after more than 14 years with the Conservatives in charge, claims the Tories are to blame for the collapse of the criminal justice system.
– If we had not taken action, the whole system would have been paralyzed, claims Starmer’s spokesperson.
– The courts would not be able to send offenders to prison, the police would not be able to make arrests and there would be uncontrolled crime in our streets, so the government could not allow that to happen, he says.
Controversial
The early release scheme allows some so-called non-violent convicts who have complied with certain conditions to be released after serving 40 percent of their sentence instead of the usual 50 percent.
Others eligible for early release are prisoners convicted of stalking and non-fatal strangulation.
Sex offenders and prisoners convicted of serious violent offenses for four years or more are not released.
Britain’s former justice secretary David Gauke, who is leading a review of the prison crisis, says the prison population – which currently stands at 89,000 inmates – is growing by 4,500 people every year. According to him, 90 percent of the subjects are repeat offenders.
The government has promised to build 14,000 extra prison places.
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