Mr. RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners released under the accelerated prisoner release scheme in Northern Ireland have re-offended; what was the nature of those offences; if any have broken the terms of their licences; and if he will make a statement. [96607]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 1 November 1999]: Of the 299 prisoners who have been released to date under the terms of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998, six have been prosecuted for offences committed since the date of their release. The nature of the charges against three are of Assault on police officers and breach of the peace; Theft; Grievous bodily harm with intent; Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily harm; and Affray. A fourth was charged with handling stolen goods, the fifth with armed robbery and the sixth with possession with intent to supply controlled drugs. None of the six were charged with terrorist related offences and were not deemed to have broken their licence conditions.
Mr. RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners released under the accelerated prisoner release scheme are awaiting trials for offences committed since the date of their release. [96606]
135W
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 1 November 1999]: Of the 299 prisoners who have been released to date under the terms of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 five are currently awaiting trials for offences committed since the date of their release. None of the five have been charged with terrorist related offences.
Mr. RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will set out the terms of the licence conditions of prisoners released under the accelerated release scheme in Northern Ireland who have subsequently re-offended. [96612]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 1 November 1999]: Of the six persons prosecuted for offences committed since the date of their release, five were determinate sentence prisoners and as such the terms of their release on licence under the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 were conditional upon the following:
that they do not support a specified organisation (within the meaning of section 3 of the Act);that they do not become concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism connected with the affairs of Northern Ireland.The remaining one was previously a life sentence prisoner and as such their release on licence under the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 was conditional upon the following:
that they do not support a specified organisation (within the meaning of section 3 of the Act);that they do not become concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism connected with the affairs of Northern Ireland; andthat they do not become a danger to the public.None of the six were prosecuted for offences which were terrorist related and were not deemed to have broken their licence conditions.