§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe), of 2 May 2000,Official Report, column 75W, on the home detention curfew scheme, what offences were committed by the prisoners released before the requisite period; and what was the (a) sentence received, (b) requisite period and (c) sentence served in each case. [121074]
§ Mr. BoatengMy reply to the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe), of 2 May 2000,Official Report, columns 74–75W, indicated that 12 prisoners had been released on the Home Detention Curfew scheme before the end of the requisite period. Further inquiries have revealed that in one case the prisoner was in fact released on the correct date. The available information, therefore, shows that since the Home Detention Curfew scheme commenced in January 1999, a total of 11 prisoners have been released early.
The original offences committed by the prisoners released on Home Detention Curfew before the requisite period, the sentence received, the requisite period and the sentence served in 10 of the 11 cases, are shown in the table. The table also shows additional days awarded (ADAs) as a result of a prisoner breaching the prison 312W disciplinary code. As explained in my reply of 2 May, in a number of cases the early releases were due to the prison's failure to take into account the additional days awarded. A further prisoner, sentenced to two years and six months in respect of an offence of wounding (inflicting grievous bodily harm), was released on Home Detention Curfew before the end of the requisite period of 398 days due to an error in the original sentence calculation. The prisoner was returned to custody after 15 days. He was subsequently released at his automatic conditional release date, his second Home Detention Curfew application having been refused. He served a total of 442 days.
Original offence Sentence received Requisite period Sentence served Robbery (assault with intent) 3 years 6 months (1,277 days) 580 days + 10 588 days Importation of drugs 2 years 6 months (912 days) 397 days + 10 ADAs 397 days Escaping unlawful custody 2 years (731 days) 307 days + 5 ADAs 307 days Possession of drugs with intent 2 years 307 days 305 days Possession of drugs with intent 2 years intent 307 days + 42 ADAs 321 days Robbery, assault with intent 1 year 9 months (639 days) 261 days 259 days Theft 1 year 6 months (547 days) 215 days + 14 ADAs 223 days Theft 1 year (366 days) 124 days + 1 ADA 121 days Unlawful sexual intercourse 6 months (184 days) 46 days 35 days Motoring offences 4 months (120 days) 30 days + 7 ADAs 33 days