The serial thug who shows Labour justice is a joke
A SERIAL criminal who was among the first to be set free from jail under the Government’s controversial early release scheme was back behind bars yesterday.
Lee Tucker became the “face” of the scheme after he was pictured making an obscene gesture as he strolled out of prison on the first day of the programme two years ago.
But he was back in jail yesterday after a judge at Bristol Crown Court sentenced him to three years for a series of ram raids in Somerset.
Critics last night claimed the case made a mockery of the Government’s “ineffective” plans to prevent re-offending.
Latest figures show almost 55,000 prisoners have now been released early under the End of Custody Licence scheme.
In 2007, Tucker, 30, was among the first to be freed. He had his sentence for driving while disqualified cut by 13 days but later branded the Government scheme a “big fat joke”.
Yesterday he was jailed for ram-raiding two stores with a stolen car and then leading police on a 90mph chase along 30mph residential streets and past a hospital.
Lyn Costello, co-founder of campaign group Mothers Against Murder and Aggression, said the case highlighted the need for an overhaul of the system. “We are playing with fire letting out criminals on early release,” she said.
“He should never have got out early. The system is too soft on criminals. Most violent crimes are committed by people already known by the authorities. If a crime warrants five years, they should do five years, like it or not.”
She said the case “made a mockery” of the Government’s plans to cut re-offending and called for an overhaul of the system.
Commenting on the case, Liberal Democrat justice spokesman David Howarth said: “Labour’s tough-sounding but ineffective policies have left Britain at the top of the European crime league.
“We need a change of policy that concentrates on preventing criminals offending again.”
Tucker and his accomplice Richard Hebdidge, 24, stole £7,000 worth of perfume and hair straighteners in a raid on Boots and Superdrug stores.
They drove a red BMW into the front of the stores in Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, in December last year, causing £23,000 damage.
They then plundered the shelves for the most expensive items before speeding off with sparks flying from the damaged car.
The court heard Hebdidge had a £300-a-day drug habit.
Tucker, a father of two, has 37 previous offences going back to 1992 and was jailed for 42 months in 2004 for robbery. In June 2007 he was released 13 days early from a four-month sentence for driving while disqualified after former Justice Secretary Lord Falconer ordered early releases to ease overcrowding in prisons.
Judge Mark Horton yesterday jailed the pair for two-and-a-half years for the two burglary offences, which they admitted.
They were also given a six-month consecutive sentence for aggravated vehicle taking. The pair have already served five months on remand and will be released from prison on licence after completing half of the term – a further 13 months.
They were also banned from driving for two years after their release.
Judge Horton said: “You have both failed to respond to efforts by the court to keep you out of trouble.
“There was no doubt that there was a high level of gain and a persistent and highly dangerous attempt to evade apprehension. The offences caused very substantial damage, much greater than the value of the items taken.
“This was violent burglary of commercial premises where the cost to those who run these premises would have been extremely high.
“What then took place was a high-speed chase where the streets were narrow, placing others at a very serious risk.”
