Big rise in serious crimes by freed prisoners

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Figures released today show that 12 of the crimes were carried out by former convicts who were known to pose a particularly serious threat.

The other 71 serious offences - including 13 in London - were committed by released prisoners who had been judged to pose a "high or very high" risk of further offending, according to statistics, published by the Ministry of Justice.

The total of 83 represents a 36 per cent increase on the previous year's total and will revive concerns about the monitoring of freed offenders.

In 2004 City banker John Monckton was murdered during a burglary at his Chelsea home by former convicts under probation supervision.

An official inquiry into his death highlighted "many serious deficiencies" and a "collective failure" in the monitoring of Damien Hanson and Elliot White.

Today's figures, for the 12 months from April last year, show that nationally, 1,249 freed convicts, including 558 sex offenders and 502 violent or other sex offenders, are currently subject to the highest "level 3" category of monitoring.

Another 223 offenders subject to the highest level of monitoring were returned to prison for breaching the terms of their release and 17 others were also placed back in custody for failing to comply with a sexual offences prevention order.

Today's figures also show that an additional 14,238 freed prisoners were under "level 2" supervision - meaning that they were classed as presenting a high risk or worse.

In London, 2,062 ex-offenders, of whom 13 committed a serious new crime last year, are in this "level 2" category. An additional 222 are judged to pose an even higher risk and to require the most intensive monitoring, although probation staff succeeded in preventing any of these from committing a serious further offence last year.

Justice minister Maria Eagle said that public protection remained the Government's highest priority. Roger Hill, director of the Probation Service, said managing dangerous freed offenders was "very challenging" but that staff worked tirelessly to protect the public.