Justice fear on faulty straps

OFFENDERS may have been wrongly jailed because they have been fitted with dodgy tags.

Equipment used to monitor dozens of offenders or suspects in the community is faulty, it emerged yesterday.

Straps used to secure electronic tags could incorrectly trigger an alert suggesting they have been tampered with, the Ministry of Justice said.

Testing indicates more than 100 of the straps are faulty and a small number of individuals may have been wrongly sent behind bars.

The Liberal Democrats claimed it was a “colossal blunder”, while the Government insisted there was no risk to the public.

Justice Minister Sam Gyimah said there was a “small chance” that some “enforcement action” might have been taken against an offender or suspect in response to a false report of a tamper.

“It does not mean an individual will have been sent to custody,” he said.

“A single tamper alert without any evidence of an escalation of risk is likely to result in an alternative outcome, such as a warning letter.

“It is unlikely that a first tamper on its own will result in an offender being recalled.” A NEW variety of tomato ketchup will be sweetened with honey and have 30% less sugar. Hellmann’s will also launch a red and green tomatoes condiment.

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