Justice Secretary David Lammy has confirmed that two prisoners who were mistakenly released remain at large, amid revelations that a dozen more inmates have been wrongly freed in the past month.
Escalating Numbers of Erroneous Releases
Speaking on Sky News' Mornings with Ridge and Frost, Lammy admitted there had been further accidental releases since his statement to the House of Commons last month. Initially, when pressed on the numbers since his 11 November update, he stated: "There have been two."
However, he later clarified to the BBC that the true figure was significantly higher, confirming: "There have been 12 [mistaken releases] since then, two are currently at large." This brings the total number of erroneous releases in England and Wales since April this year to at least 103, following his previous statement of 91 cases.
A Paper-Based System and Political Fallout
Lammy attributed the continuing errors to an outdated system, telling Sky News: "There are two people currently at large... and a prison system that is paper-based. Mistakes happen." He emphasised that the overall trend for mistaken releases this year was downwards, but resisted giving a "running commentary" on individual cases to avoid compromising police operations.
The Justice Secretary also sought to reassure the public, telling ITV that the two individuals still at large are not violent or sexual offenders.
The admission sparked a fierce political reaction. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick lambasted the situation, branding it a "total shambles" and labelling Lammy "Calamity Lammy". Jenrick criticised the minister for initially citing two cases before revising the figure to twelve, stating: "Fifteen minutes later, Calamity says 12 prisoners have in fact been released by mistake, not two... So the problem has got worse since he intervened."
Ongoing Concerns and Police Action
Lammy defended his approach to releasing information, arguing it must be done in the established way and in coordination with the police. "Sometimes because the police are about to nab somebody, they actually don't want me to discuss it," he explained, stressing the importance of allowing law enforcement to do their job.
The series of mistaken releases highlights persistent operational failures within the prison and probation services, raising serious questions about public safety and the reliability of the justice system's administrative processes.
