Rapists will have to serve their entire sentences in prison under plans announced by Justice Secretary Alex Chalk.
The days of early release for sexual predators will come to an end, he vowed. He said: “We will ensure rapists spend the entirety of their sentence in prison – so victims get the justice they deserve and the British people are protected. No longer will the perpetrators of this heinous crime walk out of prison after even two-thirds of their sentence.
“A 15-year sentence will mean 15 years in prison. This is the justice that the British people expect, and we will deliver it.”
His pledge to toughen sentencing comes amid widespread concern at low conviction rates.
According to the Office for National Statistics, 1.9 million people in England and Wales aged 16 and above have been were a victim of rape. Rape Crisis reports that police recorded 67,169 rapes in 2022 but by the end of the year charges had been brought in just 1,276 cases.
Mr Chalk is adamant that despite pressure on prison places rapists will be kept locked up until they have served their full sentence.
Describing action the Government has already taken, he said: “For too long, we didn’t lock up the most dangerous, hardened criminals for long enough. Life sentences for men who brutally murdered women meant they were let out in 20 years and rapists who got 10 years were out in five. That is why we have brought in longer sentences for the most dangerous prisoners.
“We have ended automatic halfway release so serious sexual and violent offenders serve two-thirds of their sentence behind bars. We have introduced a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for those who cause or allow the death of a child and we will make whole life sentences mandatory for the most heinous types of murder with a sexual or sadistic conduct.”
Mr Chalk denied that “judges are being told not to send rapists to prison” amid concerns about prison places.
He said: “This is untrue. The most serious and dangerous offenders are being locked away for longer. Just last week, I blocked the automatic release of Robert Brown, who brutally killed his wife, to keep him behind bars and ensure his release is given proper consideration by the Parole Board.”
He boasted of rolling out the “largest prison building programme since the Victorian era” but admitted the system is under “intense” pressure.
“The prison population is at an all-time high – double the level it was 30 years ago,” he said. “This does not come cheap to the taxpayer.
“Housing just one prisoner for a year costs around £47,000. With over 88,000 prisoners currently behind bars, those costs quickly mount up.”
Arguing that Britain needs to move “away from short-term prison sentences that make hardened criminals rather than rehabilitated offenders,” he said: “There are alternatives to having low level offenders languishing in prison.
“Judges can make them repay their debt to society in communities – cleaning up neighbourhoods, scrubbing graffiti off walls, and even helping to plant new forests. And with technology moving on rapidly, these options are growing.”
