Dozens of thugs are freed to strike again by soft touch SNP scheme to tackle prison overcrowding

Dozens of criminals freed under a controversial SNP scheme to tackle overcrowding in prisons have been sent back for reoffending.

More than a third of those locked up again had committed violent crimes, despite ministers saying public safety had been ‘paramount’.

Others are back behind bars for offences including ‘crimes of dishonesty’ - such as housebreaking and shoplifting.

Dozens of criminals released under the controversial scheme were returned to prison

A victims’ group last night said its fears had been realised about early release and warned many more people may now have suffered at the hands of criminals.

It also claimed the vast majority of victims had been kept in the dark about those criminals being released early.

The shocking new figures, released by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), show 57 of the 477 people - or one in eight - let out early in the summer have been rearrested.

Last night Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay said the SNP Government had been warned that the scheme would ‘result in more crime on Scotland’s streets’.

He said: ‘Despite knowing this to be inevitable, ministers still decided to recklessly open the prison gates.

‘This mass re-offending comes after it emerged that the vast majority of victims were not even told about early release and represents yet another example of SNP soft-touch justice.

‘Worryingly, the SNP Government’s botched prison-building programme, coupled with the projected rise in the prison population, means we’re likely to see even more offenders freed early by ministers.’

Despite the early release scheme, it emerged yesterday that the number of those in custody could rise above 9,000 within months - meaning the prison overcrowding problem is set to worsen.

The new SPS figures show the number of those who were charged and reconvicted following early release; people who are being held for alleged offences; and people who have already been released from custody after being remanded for an alleged offence.

Most were sent back to jail for ‘non-sexual crimes of violence’, accounting for 20 cases (35 per cent), while 17 were returned for crimes of dishonesty, and eight for both crimes against society and anti-social offences.

Other offences - including damage and reckless behaviour - also resulted in returns to custody, the report shows, but the specifics were not released due to low numbers.

When Humza Yousaf was justice secretary, hundreds of prisoners were let out during the Covid pandemic to free up space and limit the spread of the disease.

Some 142 of the 348 freed at that time would later be returned to custody for a list of suspected crimes involving attempted murder, serious assault, robbery and sex offences.

Critics had warned a repeat of the early release initiative – this time to reduce overcrowding – would lead to reoffending, but prison bosses and ministers pressed ahead with the plans.

Last month Victim Support Scotland said that fewer than 20 people were informed through the victim notification scheme that offenders in their cases were being freed early this summer.

It condemned the lack of action taken to ensure that victims were informed, despite the potential risk to their safety when 477 inmates were released early.

The Scottish Government has said victims of crime who were signed up to notification schemes were automatically told of the early release of a prisoner in connection with their case.

Last night Kate Wallace, chief executive of Victim Support Scotland, said its ‘fears around the number of prisoners released and subsequently returned to custody have been realised’.

She said: ‘With 57 people being sent back to prison before their original release date, we fear that many more new victims have been created, with the worrying knowledge that most of those crimes are categorised as violent offences (35 per cent).

‘Whilst the full extent of reoffending of early release prisoners is not yet known, these early figures are a cause for significant concern given that most of these prisoners have been living in the community for just a matter of weeks.’

An SPS spokesman said: ‘Working with the Scottish Government, and our partners, we delivered an emergency early release (EER) programme, which prioritised the safety and wellbeing of those in our care, victims, and the communities we serve.

‘We have been open and transparent throughout, publishing the number of individuals released at each stage, followed by a series of breakdowns.

‘The latest publication on returns to custody continues this approach.

‘While EER provided much-needed respite to our establishments, staff, and those in our care, it was always recognised that this was a temporary measure.

‘In recent months, our population has risen sharply once more, and remains extremely complex.

‘This continues to have a significant impact on our staff and the time available to them to do the important work in supporting people, building relationships, turning lives around, reducing the risk of re-offending, and creating a safer Scotland for all.’

A Scottish Government spokesman said the re-offending rate of those released early was lower than others sentenced to four years or less.

She said: ‘Whilst no level of re-offending is acceptable and we do not want any more victims of crime, the return to custody rate for those released under the scheme was substantially lower than the average re-conviction rate of those serving four years or less.

‘The early release scheme for some short-term prisoners was necessary so prisons could continue to function safely and effectively following a sharp and unexpected rise in the prison population.

‘Public safety was paramount, with only those serving less than four years considered, with the majority eligible for release having 90 days or less left to serve.

‘There were specific safeguards built into the process, including exclusions for those serving domestic abuse and sexual offences, and a governor power of veto for those prisoners deemed an immediate risk to a specific individual or group.’

Meanwhile, a separate report published by the Scottish Government put the projected prison population at between 7,750 and 9,250 at the beginning of next year.

It said it was ‘likely’ there will be an increase in numbers between August of this year and January.

Prisons have been struggling with high inmate numbers in recent years, with 8,274 people in custody on September 27, with a target capacity of 8,007.

The report claims there is ‘uncertainty’ in the projection due to variability in court capacity and the release of sentenced prisoners, among other issues.

On the projection, a Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘These latest prison projections point to a range of possible scenarios, and we know there is a likelihood that the population will increase.

‘This reinforces the need for urgent action to tackle the prison population.

‘It is vital that we ensure we have safe prisons that can focus on rehabilitation and reintegration, having too many people in prison limits this work.

‘Whilst we will always need prison, the evidence shows that community sentencing is more effective in combating re-offending than prison.

‘Similar challenges are being faced in prisons across the UK and all governments are needing to take action.’