Andy Burnham has ordered the Ministry of Justice to review early release cases after concerns that some men convicted in historical Bradford grooming gang cases could still be freed under the scheme. The petition Andrew Harper dispute has sharpened pressure on the government before the October start date.
A spokesperson for Burnham said the review was asked for to ensure grooming cases were identified. No 10 said it would ensure that “everything possible is being done so that vile groomers are dealt with in the way their victims deserve”.
Burnham and No 10
About 5,000 people are expected to be released early under sentencing changes in England and Wales, a scheme designed to reduce overcrowding in jails. Ministers excluded grooming gang members, rapists and serious child sex offenders, but some historical cases may still fall through because the offences were charged as indecent assault.
That charging route matters because indecent assault does not fall within the exclusions to the scheme starting in October. Some of the offending took place before sexual abuse laws were changed in 2003, which is why the review is focusing on whether the Bradford cases still fit the current rules.
Bradford grooming cases
The review is looking for any grooming gang perpetrators who may still be eligible for early prison release. The practical issue is not the label attached to the abuse, but the offence recorded at sentencing and whether it is covered by the exclusions already in place.
Burnham’s spokesperson said, “As part of the review of sentences, the prime minister asked the Ministry of Justice to conduct an in-depth review of cases to ensure that grooming cases were identified.” Another statement said, “This work is happening urgently. This is extremely important to the PM and he has personally intervened to ensure everything possible is being done so that vile groomers are dealt with in the way their victims deserve.”
Kemi Badenoch and October
Kemi Badenoch wrote to Burnham on Thursday, calling the situation “yet another betrayal of the victims”. Her letter asked which offences would be eligible for early release, while the government continues to resist pressure to widen the exclusions.
The same rules have also left Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers facing possible release halfway through their 13-year sentences for manslaughter after Andrew Harper’s death in 2019. Harper sustained fatal injuries after getting caught in a strap attached to the back of a car and being dragged down a country road, and the driver, Henry Long, received a 16-year sentence for manslaughter.
The immediate question is which Bradford perpetrators still qualify under the current rules before October. If the review reaches the sentences in time, the government can still close the gap before the scheme begins; if not, the exemptions on paper will not catch every case caught by the charging history.
