Burnham exempts 1,000 prisoners from early release scheme including sex offenders

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has excluded around 1,000 prisoners from early release under changes to the Sentencing Act 2026, the Ministry of Justice confirmed on Monday. The exemptions include those serving sentences for rape and child sex offences, following public criticism of the original plans.

The Sentencing Act 2026, introduced to address prison overcrowding, initially reduced the automatic release point for many prisoners to a third of their sentence. For those serving standard determinate sentences of more than four years for certain violent or sexual offences, the release point was lowered from two-thirds to halfway through the sentence.

Who is affected by the changes

The revised scheme now excludes prisoners convicted of rape or child sex offences, as reported by the *Evening Standard*. More than 17,000 offenders were already ineligible for early release before these changes, including those serving life sentences or extended prison terms.

The Ministry of Justice expects about 5,000 offenders to be released early over the next 10 months, a reduction from the 6,000 initially projected. The first releases under the revised scheme are scheduled for October, delayed from September to allow the Probation Service additional preparation time.

Tougher licence conditions for early releases

Offenders released early will face stricter licence conditions, the Ministry of Justice said. These include electronic monitoring, random drug testing, and potential bans from driving, pubs, or events such as football matches. Breaches of these conditions could result in a return to prison.

Impact on Pc Andrew Harper’s killers

Burnham’s review of the early release scheme was prompted by public anger over the potential early release of two of Pc Andrew Harper’s killers. The Thames Valley Police officer was killed in 2019 after being dragged by a car driven by three teenagers fleeing a burglary.

The driver, Henry Long, received an extended sentence of 16 years and remains ineligible for early release. He will not be considered for parole until at least 2030. His accomplices, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, received standard determinate sentences for manslaughter and remain eligible for early release under the revised scheme.

Cole and Bowers were each sentenced to 13 years and were initially due for automatic release after serving two-thirds of their sentences, around 2028. Under the new scheme, they are now expected to be released in June or July next year, depending on the final timetable for phasing in the changes.

What happens next

The Ministry of Justice has not confirmed whether the entire timetable for phasing in the early release scheme has been delayed. Justice Secretary Alex Norris told reporters on Tuesday that the number of prisoners to be released in the first tranche in October is still being recalculated.

The Probation Service will oversee the licence conditions for those released early. The government has stated that further adjustments to the scheme may be announced as the rollout progresses.