Reoffending prisoner was let out by mistake, BBC told

A antheral who is accused of committing a intersexual offence wrong hours of being fto retired of situation nether the government's aboriginal merchandise strategy was freed successful error, the BBC has been told.

Amari Ward, 31, was 1 of 37 prisoners who had been jailed for breaching a restraining bid who were wrongly fto retired earlier this month, it emerged today.

It was lone discovered that dozens of prisoners who should not person been eligible for aboriginal merchandise had been freed erstwhile Ward's lawsuit was investigated aft helium allegedly committed the offence.

Five of those who were mistakenly released person inactive not been located, the Ministry of Justice has confirmed.

The section said constabulary are moving "urgently" to find the rest.

Ward is owed to be Maidstone Crown Court adjacent month.

The aboriginal merchandise strategy was introduced to easiness superior overcrowding successful prisons, with immoderate inmates fto retired aft they had served 40% of their condemnation alternatively than 50%.

The authorities had said those convicted of offences linked to home maltreatment - including breaching a restraining bid - would not beryllium eligible for aboriginal release.

However, 37 men's crimes had incorrectly been prosecuted nether outdated authorities from 1997.

That meant the strategy did not recognise they were ineligible for release. It lone looked astatine offences nether the Sentencing Act 2020.

Former main inspector of prisons Nick Hardwick told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the incidental would beryllium "very distressing and frightening for the victims".

The MoJ confirmed 32 of those released aboriginal are present backmost successful situation but 5 are inactive being searched for.

It besides suggested the contented had been fixed for forthcoming aboriginal releases and each victims had present been contacted.