100,000 free to carry on violence
NEARLY 100,000 suspected violent criminals and sex offenders – including murderers and rapists – were left free to commit more crime and terrorise victims and witnesses in just 18 months.
Over 320,000 suspects were “released under investigation” (RUI) by police, meaning they faced no restrictions on their movements or who they contacted, between April 2017 and October 2018. Among these cases were 93,098 accused of violent or sexual offences.
RUI was introduced in 2017 by former home secretary Amber Rudd amid fears suspects were spending too long on bail, which can restrict a suspect’s behaviour.
Responsibility
Police chiefs have ordered a review, fearing a “potential major scandal”.
Alan Martin killed Kay Richardson last year after abusing her for years. She had reported her violent ex-partner for rape. But Northumbria Police said, because he had not been bailed, officers had no right to keep his house keys from him.
Kay’s mum Audrey Richardson, 77, of Sunderland, told Newsnight police “might as well have gone and opened the door for him”.
She said the police are “not taking a little bit of responsibility”.
Almost 3,000 suspects accused of violent or sexual offences were freed without restriction for more than a year.
BBC Newsnight, asked all 44 police forces in England and Wales for figures and 20 responded, so the figures could be far higher.
Jeremy Corbyn in London yesterday
JEREMY Corbyn yesterday finally apologised to the Jewish community for anti-Semitism by Labour Party members.
He said he was “very sorry” for “everything that has happened” in his party over anti-Semitism, after mounting criticism for his failure to personally apologise.
The hard-Left Labour leader was under fire after he refused four times to say sorry during an interview with the BBC’s Andrew Neil last week.
He was again repeatedly asked to apologise during an interview with ITV’s This Morning. Mr
Corbyn said: “Our party and me do not accept anti-Semitism in any form.
“Obviously I’m very sorry for everything that has happened.
“But I want to make this very clear – I am dealing with it, I have dealt with it.
“Other parties are also affected by anti-Semitism.
“Candidates have been withdrawn by the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives and by us because of it.
“We just do not accept it in any form whatsoever.” His comments follow intense criticism from within the Labour ranks after Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said a “poison... sanctioned from the top” had taken root in the party.
He also went on to suggest that Mr Corbyn was unfit to be prime minister.
Mr Corbyn also suggested he would want to stay on as Labour leader even if he fails to win the General Election.
He said: “I hope so, yes, because I feel I’m fit. I feel I’m young enough to do the job.”