Friends spray sparkling wine in wild celebrations as London prisoners released early
Some London prisoners have been released early today (Tuesday, September 10) as the Government aims to free up places. Nationwide, the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, hopes it will mean space to lock up more than 5,000 criminals.
Photos taken outside HMP Brixton in South London have shown people set free sooner than planned. Videos posted online have also shown celebrations outside HMP Wandsworth as former prisoners were reunited with family and friends.
These included sparkling wine being sprayed. 'Labour voter' Liam Fitzpatrick, an early-release prisoner, told a GB News reporter that he was grateful to the Prime Minister for letting him out early.
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The 34-year-old added that he was inside for driving offences 'and fighting'. A former prisoner in Brixton in his 50s, who gave his name to the Mirror only as 'Peter', said he was being released on a tag having served 12 months of a 32 month sentence for commercial burglary. He said: "The people they are now releasing are taking up all the housing so when they release the next lot next month there will be nowhere for them to live."
'Pentonville is disgusting, full of rats and cockroaches'
A 26-year-old man, who declined to give his name, told the newspaper that he was being released under the scheme having served 17 months of a 44 month sentence for GBH with intent. He said of his early release: "It's been well organised, not much trouble. I got a qualification in painting and decorating [while in prison] and have a place to stay in an approved premises in East London.
"I did six months in Pentonville and 11 months here. Pentonville is disgusting, full of rats and cockroaches and I was expecting it to be chaos in Brixton but it's much better."
Another man in his 20s said he was being released just short of half way through a 40 month sentence for car theft. He said: "It's a bit s***. They're putting a lot of people on very strict licence conditions so a lot will be going back to prison soon."
The former prisoner added that he had been allocated a room in a hostel in Surrey and hoped to get work as a roofer. He said: "There are a lot of people being released who aren't ready and some are kicking off saying they don't want to go."
He added: "People are getting last minute notice that they're being released and there's nowhere for them to go. They don't care and people are just going to get recalled. It's s***."
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