Killers who were out on probation

A RECORD number of criminals supposedly being watched by probation officers went on to be convicted of murder last year.

Courts heard 91 cases where the person jailed for murder should have been under official supervision after committing other offences.

In the past five years, killers involved in

308 murders, 124 manslaughters and 50 driving death cases were already on probation.

In 10 of those murder cases the perpetrator had already been freed from a life-term sentence.

Over the same period, 467 serious sex offences, including rapes and attacks on children, were committed by criminals under supervision.

The Ministry of Justice figures will raise fresh concerns over whether dangerous offenders are being released too soon – and whether authorities can safely monitor them.

In 2014, the supervision of low and medium-risk criminals was given to private firms while the National Probation Service were responsible for high-risk offenders.

But in May 2019 the Government decided to bring the system back in house.

Centre for Crime Prevention research director David Spencer said repeat offending was a “huge problem”, adding: “If this data tells us anything it is that probation is clearly not working.

“We are seeing serious offenders being released far too soon and once back on the streets they appear free to commit crimes with impunity.”

The Probation Service said: “Less than 0.5 per cent of offenders subject to supervision are convicted of a serious further offence.”