A man from Wirral, Merseyside who lost an eye in an unprovoked attack has expressed his disappointment in the justice system after his attacker was released early under the home detention curfew scheme, just eight months into his 28-month sentence. Michael Norris, who was blinded in one eye, said the release was an “absolute travesty”. The released individual was duly placed under electronic monitoring and residence at an approved address as part of their release conditions.
The early release scheme was modified in 2023 due to prison capacity issues, now allowing prisoners arrested for certain crimes to be released six months early after full risk assessments. The government has clarified that all releases under sentence must undergo risk assessments for offenders fully. The offender in Norris’s case would have been eligible for release after serving half his term before the modification. Norris believed that anyone jailed should complete their sentence in prison, and that early release was unjust.
Norris said his injuries have turned his life upside down since he was assaulted in September 2022. He has undergone several operations and lost his job. Although he obtained some peace of mind from his attacker’s 10-year restraining order, he called on the government to consider the effects of violent crime on victims. According to a Ministry of Justice representative, the attack had “appalling consequences” on Norris, and any offenders granted early release were subjected to strict conditions, including electronic surveillance.
Norris’s statement on allocating more prison spaces has yet to be addressed by concerned stakeholders. Early releases could continue to be a cause of distress to victims, with overcrowding cited as the cause. However, early release procedures from overcrowded prisons still allow for strict electronic monitoring and other conditions to be imposed on released inmates
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