Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleNicole Wootton-CaneTuesday 04 August 2026 02:41 BSTKemi Badenoch calls for emergency legislation to stop early release of prisonersAndy Burnham announced that rapists and serious child sex offenders, including those convicted of grooming, will be excluded from the early prisoner release scheme.The decision follows public outcry and concerns from victims, leading to a delay of the scheme until October.The prime minister stated he wanted to go further but warned that excluding more offenders would risk the collapse of the prison system due to overcrowding.New measures include tighter community supervision with GPS monitoring for rapists, a £10m package for victim support, and a new national helpline.While welcomed by some as a “victory for victims”, critics, including Pc Harper’s widow and the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, argue the changes do not go far enough, particularly regarding domestic abusers.In fullBurnham bars rapists and serious child sex offenders from early release schemeMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in