Dominique Raab will announce today in the House of Commons a landmark reform package, which will determine how some criminals will deal with ministerial scrutiny. It comes after the public outcry over the decisions to release from prison the double murderer and child rapist Colin Pittsfork and the taxi driver and rapist of London John Warbos. Worboy’s release was later overturned and Pitchfork was jailed for breach of leave in November. Image: Justice minister expected to unveil crackdown on dangerous criminals, regain powers to overturn release of jail council Perpetrators serving life sentences, unspecified sentences for public protection, extended sentences and certain revocations are subject to parole, which means that their release must be handled by the Release Board. The new reforms are expected to take back power to bypass the Parole Board when it comes to releasing dangerous criminals from prison. Mr Raab is expected to take a “precautionary approach” to the release of the detainees, offering more binding instructions on when they should be released. The new powers could also see ministers scrutinize release in cases involving the murder, rape, terrorism and provocation or permissible death of a child and allow Mr Raab to block decisions in some cases. Victims’ participation in the hearings will also see victims having the right to fully attend the release hearings for the first time – as set out in the Conservative Party’s 2019 manifesto. The parole board should now consider the victims’ submissions and allow them to ask questions in the submissions. The aim of the reforms is to focus on protecting the public and not on the rights of offenders. Read more: Nearly 100 terrorists are being considered for release by the release committee after the law change Image: Colin Pitchfork was sentenced to life in prison after strangling 15-year-old Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth in Leicestershire in the 1980s. Mr Raab said: “As Minister of Justice, I have a responsibility to keep the public safe, but to do so I must be able to exercise power when it comes to releasing dangerous criminals. “I am not satisfied that our current approach is as strong as it needs to be and that is why I am making changes to restore public confidence in the system.”
