1,000 danger men on loose

NEARLY 1,000 convicted criminals including murderers and rapists are roaming free, despite breaching terms of early release from jail.

EMBARASSMENT Justice Secretary Jack Straw defended the findings EMBARASSMENT: Justice Secretary Jack Straw defended the findings

Ministry of Justice figures revealed yesterday that 954 offenders recalled to prison before March this year had not surrendered to custody by the end of last month.

Among those on the run are 20 murderers, 15 rapists, 72 robbers, 140 burglars and five paedophiles. And last night critics branded Labour’s early release scheme as “reckless” and urged ministers to get a grip on the crumbling prison system.

The blunders are being seen as a huge embarrassment for Jack Straw, the Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary.

He came under pressure last month over the case of double-killer Dano Sonnex, who was allowed to roam the streets and butcher two French students when he should have been recalled to jail. Dominic Grieve, the Shadow Justice Secretary, said: “The whole point of releasing prisoners on licence is that they can be monitored and returned to prison if they breach.

“The public will be shocked that the Government has lost track of almost 1,000 criminal fugitives, including murderers, paedophiles and sex offenders.”

He added: “Labour’s reckless early release scheme and lax approach to probation is putting the public at greater risk. And cuts to frontline probation services will only make this situation even worse.”

Lib Dem justice spokesman David Howarth said: “Ministers should come to Parliament and explain why nearly a thousand recalled prisoners are being allowed to run free.”

Official figures, which cover England and Wales, also reveal that some offenders recalled to custody up to 25 years ago were still on the run. Altogether, 142 have been on the loose for more than five years.

A total of 158 offenders on the run listed in yesterday’s figures were convicted of violent crimes.

Most prisoners serving a jail term of 12 months or more are released automatically at the half-way point of their sentence, the Ministry of Justice’s report said. They are expected to regularly report to probation officers, live at an approved address, keep out of trouble and may face other restrictions such as curfews or exclusions orders.

Those who breach the terms of their licence are supposed to be returned to jail to finish their sentences in custody. But Ministry of Justice officials admitted that Government targets for returning such offenders to jail are not being met.

Police are expected to find three quarters of prisoners within six days of recall, or within 74 hours in “emergency” cases involving serious crimes. During the year 2007-08, only 58 per cent of recalls were carried out within the official time limit, meaning 5,307 were not back in cells when they should have been.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman defended the performance on recalls as “creditable” despite the failure to hit official targets, adding: “The largest majority of reasons for recall in this data are for being out of touch with their probation officer.”

And Mr Straw said: “The recall system works well. Of those recalled between 1999 and June 2008, just 0.7per cent of offenders have not been apprehended.

“But we are far from complacent, and recognise that the system has to be strengthened further, not least in respect of those serious offenders who remain at large.” But Harry Fletcher, assistant general secretary of probation officers’ union, Napo, said: “It is of real concern that nearly 1,000 offenders who have been recalled to custody have gone missing. Many pose a threat to the public.

“The numbers will only be reduced if chasing warrants becomes a priority for the police – which won’t happen – or additional resources are made available for the probation and police services.”

But the Association of Chief Police Officers told forces to take “priority action” to urgently arrest sexual and violent offenders.

Would you like to receive news notifications from Daily Express?