Probation errors

For the second time in a week, the Probation Service has been found seriously wanting in the supervision of violent criminals who have gone on to kill. Justin Russell, the Chief Inspector of Probation, reported on Monday how a man with a history of violence had been wrongly assessed as “medium risk” by staff. Jordan Mcsweeney murdered Zara Aleena in June last year, nine days after his release on licence from prison. He should not have been on the streets.

Neither should Damien Bendall, a psychopath who killed his partner and three children in September 2021. He had been given a 24-month suspended sentence for arson and was under the supervision of the Probation Service. The Chief Inspector said the case was handled to an “unacceptable standard” and “critical opportunities” to correct errors were missed.

It is not just probation staff who are culpable, but the entire criminal justice system. Why was Bendall, who had a string of convictions for violence, at large if he had been found guilty of arson? Why wasn’t he sent to prison?

The court was apparently given a “very poor” probation report which “significantly misrepresented” the risk posed by Bendall, but it must have been apparent from looking at his record that he should have been put away. Mcsweeney had 28 previous convictions for 69 separate offences and could not by any measure be considered a medium risk.

Pressure to relieve prison overcrowding by releasing inmates early, or giving them the benefit of the doubt, can only be justified if they are properly supervised. Otherwise, they should be kept behind bars where they belong.