Home release will not be axed

TRUTH WEIDEGER

NICOLA Sturgeon yesterday faced calls to end home leave for murderers in the wake of the “appalling case” of Robbie McIntosh.

But the First Minister said the programme is fundamental in the effort to rehabilitate prisoners.

The comments at Holyrood followed a plea by Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson for a review into whether dangerous criminals should be granted home leave.

She also revealed that in the last year alone about 4000 prisoners had been granted temporary leave, where they were allowed out of prison before their case had been considered by the parole board.

Davidson said she was angry at the Scottish Government’s “soft touch” approach to justice.

She added: “When cases like today’s emerge, the question from the public is, why again?

“Why is a killer let loose to try to kill again? Why are the dice loaded against victims and in favour of criminals again?

“Why do we only act when another family is left to pick up the pieces of their lives?

“Home leave for convicted murderers, where they are free to walk the streets before they even face the parole board, should be reviewed.”

Sturgeon admitted “there are lessons to be learned” from the case but continued to defend the principle of permitting prisoners home leave as part of their rehabilitation.

She added: “Serious criminals should be locked up. That’s not in doubt. The challenge for our criminal justice system is how we do rehabilitate prisoners so there is less of a risk of them reoffending?

“These are not simple issues. We have a duty to recognise the complexity with the public.”