Justice Secretary David Lammy has confirmed that a dozen more inmates have been erroneously freed from prisons in England and Wales over the past month, with two of those individuals still not apprehended.
Running Total of Erroneous Releases Rises
During an interview on BBC's Mornings with Ridge and Frost, Mr Lammy was forced to admit that the number of mistaken releases had grown since his last statement to Parliament. Initially, when pressed on the figures since his 11 November update to MPs, he stated there had been "two" further cases.
He later provided a significant correction to the BBC, clarifying that the actual number was much higher. "There have been 12 [mistaken releases] since then, two are currently at large," the Justice Secretary said.
This latest batch adds to the 91 individuals who were mistakenly freed between April and November this year, bringing the known total for the period to at least 103.
Lammy Defends Data Handling Amid Criticism
Speaking to Sky News, Mr Lammy sought to downplay the significance of the new errors, pointing to an overall downward trend. "There have been releases in error since I made that statement, but I want to convey that the trend this year is fortunately downwards," he claimed.
He partly blamed the incidents on an outdated, "paper-based" prison system, stating simply that "mistakes happen." However, when pushed for more specific details about the latest cases, including the identities or crimes of those still at large, he refused.
"It's important that I release that data in the way that it's always been released," Mr Lammy argued. He added that police operations could be compromised by public commentary, saying, "sometimes because the police are about to nab somebody, they actually don't want me to discuss it."
Political Reaction and Mounting Pressure
The admission has sparked fierce criticism from political opponents. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick was quick to label the situation a "fiasco" and branded the minister "Calamity Lammy."
"Calamity Lammy admits two more dangerous prisoners have been mistakenly released," Mr Jenrick said. "But he won't say who they are or where they are. When will this fiasco end?"
The repeated errors have placed intense scrutiny on the operational management of the prison service and the Ministry of Justice's ability to safeguard the public from administrative failures.
