Allowing victims to block prison releases ‘unfair’ to criminals

VICTIMS of crime should not be able to directly block the early release of prisoners, the head of the Parole Board has said.

Caroline Corby, the interim chairman of the body, warned that reforms proposed after the John Worboys case risked being “unfair” and could result in inmates enduring “unnecessary prolonged incarceration”.

David Gauke, the Justice Secretary, is currently considering overhauling the parole system to offer victims more say over whether a prisoner ought to be eligible for early release.

A review of the system was launched after the Parole Board controversially approved Worboys – known as the Black Cab Rapist – for release in January. He had been jailed indefinitely in 2009, with a recommendation he serve at least eight years, after being convicted of 19 offences. The board’s decision was quashed in March when two of his victims launched a legal challenge in the High Court.

Ms Corby said the board accepted that there was a case for a new appeals procedure, but added it was their view that only the prisoner and secretary of state should be permitted to apply to look again at a decision.

One option being considered would allow victims to raise concerns through the Justice Secretary’s office, which could then challenge the decision on their behalf.

The board said: “We do not envisage or intend this to prevent victims and others from being able to initiate an appeal, but there needs to be a filter to ensure that there is a proper legal basis for an appeal.”

Ms Corby said she wanted the board to be “the best it can be, ensuring our decisions are fair and robust”.

She added: “We are committed to listening to victims and protecting the public by risk-assessing prisoners and, when right to do so, releasing prisoners into the community.”

She warned that the proposed reforms could be expensive to implement and could lead to lengthy delays in the administration of justice.

In her letter to Mr Gauke, she wrote: “We are concerned that a single problematic and complex case has precipitated a radical reform which has the potential to cause considerable uncertainty, delay and cost to the public purse. There is also the risk of unfairness and unnecessary prolonged incarceration of prisoners who have been assessed as not putting the public at risk of serious harm.”

She warned that simple parole decisions about prisoners who posed no danger to the public could be unnecessarily delayed for weeks or even months, leading to increased compensation payments to offenders.