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More than 65,000 prisoners have been let out of prison early to ease overcrowding.
But while on early release they have committed 1,284 crimes, including burglaries, muggings, sex offences, rape and three murders, figures showed today.
The statistics mark the second anniversary of Labour's scheme to trim 18 days off sentences as an emergency measure to free up space in jails.
Conservatives said 12,000 violent offenders, nine sex offenders and two terrorists were released and claimed the public were being put at risk.
"Releasing prisoners early puts the public at risk and has already led to the loss of three lives," said shadow justice minister Dominic Grieve.
"In the next year the number of prisoners released early could rise to almost a hundred thousand."
The Tories say they would scrap the policy and open more prisons.
The Government insists that sex offenders are not released early.
Some 12,277 of those given early release had been convicted of violence against the person.
Among the crimes committed by offenders on release was the murder of former teacher Amanda Murphy, 48, by Andrew Mournian, 36, a repeat violent offender jailed in 2005 for battery.
He was released early on 13 August 2007 after 52 days of a 20-week sentence and attacked Mrs Murphy five days later.
Student Jed Sheridan was killed by Darren Abrams and Terry Sewell in a drunken attack in Portsmouth in October 2007.
Abrams had been released early the previous week.
Reader views (4)
Astomishing, if there is no space in jails, killing of innocent peoples is enouraged by the gangs.Deport such criminal peoples for life, to safe the peaceful country.
- Chishty, London, 03/08/2009 08:33
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Maybe your people should get the balls to deport those who by rights after committing criminal offenses in your country deport the SOB's...your crime isnt going to go down but your immigration policies keep going up! Dont you see something terriblby wrong in that? Demand your "powers that be" determine exactly where your largest crime budget is, then tell them to get off their backsides and stop it. Chances are its foriegn nationals...close your doors and you wont be writng these stories
- Valigator, USA, 02/08/2009 03:27
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Innocent people dying because this government didn't build the necessary new prisons to keep the population safe.
- Phil Jones, London UK, 01/08/2009 13:10
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"The Government insists that sex offenders are not released early". Really?
The Conservatists said that nine sex offenders were released and "claimed the public were being put at risk".
Obviously, the Labour spin and waffle machine needs a generous squirt of WD40, as it is wholly incapable of telling Joe Public the truth.
MP's could not care less - they are sunbathing on some exotic beach abroad for the next THREE MONTHS.
Hypocrites.
- Reuben Camara, Republic of Morecambe, UK, 31/07/2009 16:57
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