DOZENS of violent and prolific offenders have been released from prison early to help solve the overcrowding crisis.

A study of 61 convicts freed in the first few days of the government’s early release scheme shows that 19 – almost one in three – had convictions for violence.

The new figures undermine claims by Lord Falconer, the then justice secretary, who told parliament last month that the early release of up to 25,000 prisoners would “exclude offenders convicted of serious sexual or violent crimes”.

The releases came after the number of inmates in England and Wales reached 81,040 – up by more than a third since Labour came to power, mainly because of tougher laws with longer sentences.

David Davis, the shadow home secretary, said: “This certainly gives the lie to what Lord Falconer said. It demonstrates that ministers are not excluding violent criminals from the early release scheme. It is a travesty of justice that shows that public safety has been put at the bottom of the government’s priority list.” One man released last week was convicted of threatening the public with a Samurai sword. Two young men who had been convicted of assaulting a policeman were released early in the Midlands but were rearrested in connection with a robbery on a train on their way to their interview with probation staff.

Among other cases highlighted in the survey were:

- A man convicted of stabbing someone with a knife was released in the southwest on Monday.

- Six men released in Wales had been convicted of a range of violent crimes including arson, assaulting a police officer and aggravated bodily harm.

- Several inmates released in the past few days from a jail in the northwest had been convicted of threatening behaviour, robbery and affray.

Harry Fletcher, assistant general secretary of Napo, the probation officers’ union which produced the report, said that in many cases probation and prisons staff had objected to the release of violent criminals but had been overruled.

He added that many of those released early had previously been refused parole or tagging because they had been deemed unsuitable.

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