Coronavirus early release scheme halted after six prisoners mistakenly freed
Blunder at open jails sparks early release freeze
The Ministry of Justice has suddenly slammed the brakes on its coronavirus early release scheme after six offenders were accidentally freed. The mix-up happened at two open prisons – Leyhill in Gloucestershire and Sudbury in Derbyshire.
Officials scramble to recapture escaped inmates
Authorities say the released prisoners posed a low risk and have since been tracked down and returned to custody. But the embarrassment is huge for the justice secretary, who had insisted strict checks were in place before any prisoner was let out.
Human error blamed, reforms promised
The Prison Service blamed “human error” for the blunder and promised changes to tighten procedures and stop a repeat of this shocking slip-up. Yet questions remain – how did six offenders slip through the cracks?
