The Scottish Conservatives have launched an official campaign against the SNP’s latest ‘jailbreak’ which will see even more violent criminals and rapists let out of prison early.
SNP justice secretary Neil Gray revealed the plans on the final day before Holyrood broke up for its summer recess at the end of last month.
Under the soft-touch proposals from the Nationalists, prisoners serving time for violent and sexual crimes would only serve two-thirds of their sentence. In addition, ministers want to change the definition of short-term prisoners – who are released after serving just 30 per cent of their sentence – from four to five years.
Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Stephen Kerr has urged the SNP to think again and scrap the “dangerous” plans.
He says that two decades of the SNP has resulted in communities feeling less safe and victims being an afterthought in the justice system.
Kerr added it is just common sense that prisoners should serve their sentences in full and that the SNP are desperate to avoid scrutiny about the reality of what their plans will mean for public safety.
Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Stephen Kerr MSP said: “It is no coincidence that the SNP snuck out these dangerous plans on the last day before Holyrood broke up for its summer recess.
“They are desperate to avoid scrutiny of these plans because they know they will put public safety at grave risk.
“Their only answer after failing to deliver the prison capacity Scotland needs is to open the gates early for even more violent and sexual offenders.
“The public and victims of crime are rightly terrified about what will happen if these proposals get the green light. That’s why we’ve launched an official campaign so that Scots can tell the SNP to think again and ditch them.
“Two decades of SNP incompetence means Scotland’s entire justice system is in crisis and the interests of criminals are shamefully put above those of victims.
“It is just common sense that prisoners should serve their sentences in full. If you share that view, then back our campaign and send the SNP a message that violent criminals should be kept behind bars.”