Top cop shares concerns about government scheme

Barnet’s Borough Commander Luke Williams highlighted the example of prolific offender who committed multiple crimes just one day after being released reports David Floyd

A lamp with 'Metropolitan Police' in white on blue glass outside a police station — (Credit – Met Police)

Barnet’s top police officer has shared his concerns about the government’s controversial prison release scheme in a letter to local politicians.

Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams, who is the Borough Commander for north-west London covering Barnet, Brent and Harrow, wrote to local MPs, councillors and leading council officers yesterday to highlight what he described as a “concerning example” of the early release scheme’s impact.

In the letter seen by Barnet Post, he writes that “a prolific shoplifter and registered sex offender was released as part of this scheme from HMP Wandsworth” after he “had been assessed as a high-risk offender by the Probation Service and had 16 previous convictions linked to more than 100 investigations, including multiple thefts, criminal damage and an incident of indecent exposure”.

The letter continues: “Just one day after his release, he was captured on CCTV stealing from two supermarkets in north-west London. When local neighbourhood officers visited the stores, staff reported that he had continued shoplifting throughout the weekend.

“A team of officers then spent an entire day locating the man and bringing him back into custody, where he was charged with four counts of shoplifting, breaching court orders and commercial burglary.”

The man pleaded guilty and is now back in prison.

DCS Williams adds: “While the Met fully recognises that the government is dealing with significant pressures across the criminal justice system, and there are no easy options, we cannot allow those pressures simply to be transferred onto policing with no recognition.”

Responding to the letter, in a comment piece for the Post, Jennifer Grocock, Barnet Conservatives’ shadow cabinet member for community safety said the letter “should alarm anyone who cares about the safety of our streets”.

Cllr Grocock adds: “Every hour an officer spends arresting someone who has just been released is an hour that officer cannot spend protecting somebody else.

“Every additional demand placed on policing comes at a cost, whether to taxpayers, victims waiting for justice or communities wanting to see more officers on their streets.”

Talking in August about the reasons for the scheme in a Sky News interview in August, justice secretary Alex Norris blamed the previous Conservative government for leaving the current administration with no choice but to release 5,000 prisoners early to avoid overcrowding.

He said: “I would express how angry I am, too, at being in a situation where we’re having to make significant changes that do have real impacts on people’s lives, so that we are able to have a functioning prison system.”

Local news needs your support

We are proud that we were at the forefront of reporting on the recent local elections. We can’t do this without the support of our readers.

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

ACT NOW!

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else. £84 annual supporters get a print copy by post and a digital copy of each month's before anyone else.