§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the prisoners released to date under the Home Detention Curfew scheme have(a) breached the conditions of the curfew, (b) disappeared, (c) had their curfew revoked and (d) re-offended while on the scheme; what offences were committed by those who re-offended while on the scheme; what was the (i) average and (ii) maximum sentence received by a prisoner for an offence committed while on the scheme; and if he will make a statement. [112728]
§ Mr. Boateng[holding answer 2 March 2000]: As of 29 February 2000, 862 prisoners subject to home detention curfew have had their licences revoked by the Secretary of State following a breach of the curfew conditions of their licence or a breach of their non-curfew licence conditions. Fifty are currently unlawfully at large. Breaches of non-curfew related conditions by curfewees whose original offences were committed prior to 1 January 1999 are dealt with by the courts. Information on these cases is not held centrally.
The number of cases where a breach of curfew conditions has been reported is not readily available and I will write to the hon. Member with this information.
As of 29 February, the Prison Service had received notification of 194 curfewees who had been charged with an offence committed while subject to the home detention curfew scheme.
A breakdown of the offences committed by these curfewees is shown in the table. This breakdown has been prepared from information supplied by police forces and drawn from the police national computer. Further analysis of re-offending by those subject to home detention curfew, including the procedures for notification of further charges to the Prison Service by the police, is currently under way as part of a long-term evaluation of the scheme.
Information is not held centrally on the sentences received by prisoners for offences committed while subject to home detention curfew.
Overall, the home detention curfew scheme has an impressive success rate of 95 per cent. of curfewees completing their period of curfew licence. However, we are not complacent about any re-offending on curfew and the scheme is strictly enforced. Where a prisoner does commit a further offence while subject to curfew, he or she is in breach of their licence conditions and may be recalled to prison, in addition to the possibility of an additional sentence for the new offence. 449W
Offence type Number Burglary, theft and stealing from shops1 70 Assault 31 Driving and Traffic Offences 19 Drug Offences 16 Breach of the peace2 14 Handling Stolen Goods/Deception 12 Criminal Damage 10 Threatening Behaviour 8 Possession of an offensive weapon 4 Breach of court injunction or Restraining Order 3 Rape 2 Harassment 1 Going Equipped 1 False Imprisonment 1 Arson 1 Indecent Exposure 1 Total 194 1 Including taking without consent/taking and driving away 2 Including Drunk and Disorderly Note:
Where a curfewee was charged with more than one offence, they appear in the table next to the most serious offence. The table excludes those where, following initial notification, the Prison Service was informed that the charges had been withdrawn.
§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners released on the home detention curfew scheme have been convicted(a) summarily and (b) on indictment of a further offence committed whilst on the scheme; and what (i) original and (ii) further offences were committed and what sentences were received in each case. [112794]
§ Mr. BoatengInformation is not held centrally on the convictions and sentences received by those who have committed offences while subject to home detention curfew.