New law will give victims automatic right to know when attacker is released from prison

VICTIMS of violence and sexual offences are for the first time to be given an automatic legal right to know when their attacker will be released from jail and what measures are in place to protect the public.

The move will be included in a new victims’ law and aims to end scandals where families have been left in the dark only to subsequently discover the offender has been released or is about to be let out of jail – as happened with black-cab rapist John Worboys.

Under the change proposed by Justice Secretary Robert Buckland, victims will no longer have to opt into the so-called “victim contact scheme” but will automatically be included and then decide if they want to opt out.

Campaigners say fewer than half of the 80,000 victims or their families choose to participate, often because they are so distressed in the aftermath of a trial, are unaware of their rights and fail to fill in the paperwork.

The scheme covers offenders jailed for 12 months or more. Victims receive updates on planned parole hearings, can request restrictions after release to bar the criminals from contacting them or their families and can challenge a parole board decision.

Ministers are considering providing victims with annual updates on offenders’ progress in jail, including the category of prison they are in and their participation in rehabilitation schemes.

Mr Buckland said: “Falling victim to crime can be a distressing and lifechanging experience, so it is vital people get the support they need.” The move is part of a proposed new simplified victims’ code to be published tomorrow, which will set out 12 key victims’ rights that will be enshrined in law in a bill planned for later this year.

These rights will require victims to get regular updates on investigations and criminal proceedings, give them the chance to make an impact statement before an offender is sentenced, information about the case’s outcome and any compensation they can claim.

Dame Vera Baird, the victims’ commissioner, has called for victims to be given a more accurate assessment of the sentence an offender will serve, through providing a transcript of the judges’ sentencing remarks.

The simplified victims’ code will be backed by a campaign to boost public awareness. It is estimated 80 per cent of victims are unaware of its existence.