Behave yourselves! Prison bosses attempt to curb sickening scenes of celebration outside jails as next set of prisoners set to be let out under Labour’s early release scheme_Nhy
Prisoners being freed early today have been warned to behave after sickening celebrations outside jails last month.
Labour’s emergency scheme to ease overcrowding led to jubilant criminals dancing in the street and being sprayed with bottles of bubbly.
Convicts whooped and punched the air with delight across the country on September 10 during the first phase of the releases. They thanked Sir Keir Starmer and swore to be ‘life-long Labour voters’ after being let out early.
Today, at least 1,000 more criminals will be freed. They are even more serious offenders than the previous batch, having been handed jail terms of five years or more. But a senior prison source revealed the criminals will get nothing more than a reminder to be well-behaved under the terms of their licence conditions.
And they admitted there was a limit to what can be done to curtail celebrations.
Sparkling wine was sprayed outside HMP Wandsworth in south-west London by a group who arrived in a fleet of luxury car
A prisoner is seen cheering as he walks free from Wandsworth Prison in south London
Freed inmates who behave badly – by damaging prison property, for example – could be recalled to jail.
The source said: ‘It is worth remembering we release people from prison who are quite excitable and happy to be released every normal working day of the year.
‘In terms of prisoners being happy to see friends and family when released, there is a limit to what we can realistically do.
‘We remind prisoners they have strict licence conditions. There is a requirement for good behaviour and we’ll act if this isn’t the case.’
Inmates eligible for release today will have served 40 per cent of their sentences rather than 50 per cent required under previous rules.
Sex offenders and terrorists are ineligible along with violent criminals handed more than four years.
Last month one freed inmate vowed to ‘get lit’ [intoxicated] to celebrate his unexpected freedom while others said they were looking forward to tucking into fast food from McDonald’s.
Convicted drug dealer Djaber Benallaoua, 20, said the early release policy had made him a ‘lifelong Labour voter’.
Djaber Benallaoua, 20, said the early release policy had made him a lifelong Labour voter
Convicts whooped and punched the air with delight across the country on September 10 duringthe first phase of the releases. (Pictured, exterior of HM Prison Liverpool)
A prisoner is released from HMP Pentonville reacts to a member of public in London on September 10
Freed from HMP Isis, at Thamesmead in south-east London, he said: ‘I’ve come out five or six months early, I’m just happy.’
Sparkling wine was sprayed outside HMP Wandsworth in south-west London by a group who arrived in a fleet of luxury cars.
One criminal, who had served four years for fraud, said: ‘It’s like a great escape. Thank you, Sir Keir Starmer, you’re the best.’
Former home secretary Dame Priti Patel called yesterday for the suspension of the scheme, saying: ‘There have been criminals released who have committed further crimes and victims are feeling let down.
‘Until the Government has been clear about the impact and put enhanced measures in to protect the public, they should suspend their plans.’
