Convicts freed on probation charged with killing three people a WEEK last year, shock figures reveal
130 charges or murder or manslaughter were brought against released inmates - the highest number since records began
CONS freed on probation were charged with killing three people a WEEK last year, shock figures reveal.
And offenders meant to be under official supervision were also charged with an average of five rapes or serious sexual assaults a week in 2017.
A total of 130 charges of murder or manslaughter were brought against released inmates last year - the highest number since records began in 2012.
Meanwhile there were 256 charges of rape or attempted rape filed against lags on probation.
Last night officials said changes to the way serious offences were counted meant more serious re-offending was recorded than in previous years.
But David Spencer, Research Director at the Centre for Crime Prevention, said: “It is completely unacceptable for dangerous hardened criminals to be put back onto the streets when the probation service is clearly so ill-equipped to deal with them.
“The result last year was that 130 innocent lives have been lost and many more irreparably damaged.
“This madness has to end now.
“An urgent review is needed and until the Ministry of Justice is confident that the probation service is capable of providing effective surveillance, it has to stop entrusting serious offenders to their care and putting the public at such serious risk.”
The figures, released after a freedom of information request, showed 112 murders last year were linked to offenders supposed to be under official supervision.
Released inmates were also accused of carrying out 18 manslaughters, 60 attempted murders and 133 other violent or sexual offences.
There were 35 charges of kidnapping abduction or false imprisonment and 21 of arson.
A total of 635 charges for serious offences were brought against cons on probation last year - an average of 12 each week.
It was the highest overall tally since 2012.
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “Offences which would not have previously been counted as offenders were not subject to probation supervision now come in to scope and are counted as serious further offences.
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“Serious further offences are rare.
“Fewer than 0.5 per cent of offenders under statutory supervision are charged with serious further offences.
“Nonetheless, every single serious further offence is taken extremely seriously, and a rigorous review is carried out in all cases.”