Released criminal re-arrested and charged with sexual assault hours after early release
Amari Ward, 31, was released as part of the Government's policy aimed at easing UK's chronic prison overcrowding crisis.
The government has defended its controversial early release of prisoners after it emerged that one freed inmate allegedly sexually assaulted a woman on the same day he was let out.
Amari Ward, 31, was released on Tuesday as part of the policy, which aims to ease Britain’s chronic prison overcrowding crisis.
But after being re-arrested he appeared at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on Thursday charged with sexual assault and is due to attend Maidstone Crown Court next month.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said the early release scheme was necessary because it had “inherited prisons in crisis and on the brink of collapse” but insisted that all reoffenders would be punished.
Ward is alleged to have “intentionally touched” a woman who did not consent in Sittingbourne, Kent, on Tuesday, just hours after his release according to court documents.
He was arrested as police descended on an address in south London. He was subsequently charged with sexual assault, denied bail and was recalled to prison on Thursday.
A Ministry of Justice (MoJ) spokesperson said: “The government inherited prisons in crisis and on the brink of collapse.
“Had that happened, the courts would have been unable to hold trials and the police to make arrests.”
The spokesperson said those that breached licence conditions or reoffended would be punished.
The Conservatives have previously said the government had “badly managed” the early release of prisoners, leading to “serious public concern” about the process.
Around 1,750 prisoners were freed early on Tuesday from jails across England and Wales.
Under the early release policy, some inmates were released after serving 40% of their sentence, instead of 50%.
There were jubilant scenes outside some prisons as inmates being let out early were greeted by friends and family clutching cigars and bottles of champagne, while others spoke of how they feared being homeless because there had not been time to put accommodation plans into place.
The latest iteration of the early release scheme was implemented after July’s general election, but the previous administration had already started letting some inmates out ahead of schedule to ease overcrowding.
