Restriction zones will ‘unduly influence' release of offenders, warns PCC
Sexual and violent offenders could be restricted to certain locations and tracked with technology, and would face jail time for breaching the conditions under new proposals.
Until now exclusion zones exist to stop perpetrators from going to where their victims live.
The measure comes as the Government plans to overhaul the prison system to curb overcrowding, which could see violent and sexual offenders released from jail earlier, and for more criminals to serve sentences in the community.
Tens of thousands of offenders would be tagged, prompting concerns from the victims' commissioner for England and Wales over the Probation Service's ability to cope with rising numbers.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones said that the new restriction zones were 'welcome' but 'caution is needed'.
Ms Jones added: 'I'm concerned they will unduly influence the Government's decision on which offenders to release under its Early Release Scheme.
'I would like clarification over the length of sentence violent offenders will receive if they're recalled to prison.
'The current 28 days put in place by the Government as an emergency measure to free up prison places is clearly not a deterrent.'
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: 'New restriction zones will curb the freedoms of the most serious sexual and violent offenders by 'locking' them into specific areas.
Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones with Christine Losecaat (right), chairwoman of the Board of Trustees at Advance, and Amy Glover (left), director of domestic abuse service at Advance (Ben Whitley/PA)
'Offenders will lose their freedom to move at will, and we'll give victims the confidence to go about their lives without fear of encountering them.
'They are not an alternative to custody and will have no impact on who and when an offender is released.'
The mother of a woman who was killed by her estranged husband said she is praying he is given a restricted zone if he is released.
Joanna Simpson, 46, was killed by her estranged husband Robert Brown in 2010 when he attacked her with a claw hammer in the family home.
Brown was sentenced to 24 years in prison for manslaughter and a further two years for an offence of obstructing a coroner in the execution of his duty.
Ms Simpson's mother, Diana Parkes, said she was 'delighted' about the new plans to restrict the movement of domestic abuse perpetrators.
Discussing her daughter's killer, Ms Parkes told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'He's coming up for parole in January, I just heard yesterday.
'So hopefully when he comes out, we pray that he will be put in a restricted zone with a tag.'
Ms Parkes, who was made a CBE for services to vulnerable children suffering from domestic abuse and domestic homicide, added: 'It's essential that victims of violent crimes should not live in fear when their perpetrators come out of prison on licence to serve the rest of their sentence, as it does at the present time.
'The perpetrator knows exactly where the victims are as they have exclusion zones, which are supposedly safe areas for the victims, but of course, the perpetrators know where they are and the minute they come out of their exclusion zone, the perpetrators could grab them or hurt them.
'Everyone has to worry all the time about where the perpetrator is when they live their normal life, because we're never told where they are at the moment.'
Brown killed his millionaire wife one week before the finalisation of their divorce.
He buried her body in a pre-dug grave in Windsor Great Park and confessed to police the following day.
He was cleared of murder after a trial, but admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, with a psychiatric report saying he suffered from an 'adjustment disorder'.
The Government has announced £700 million of funding until 2028/29 for the Probation Service to back up its reforms, as well as the recruitment of 1,300 new probation officers by March 2026.
For the new restriction zones, probation officers will work with survivors to decide on banned locations for perpetrators, and will carry out detailed risk assessments.
Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones announced the new measure at the charity Advance in London on Friday.
The victims minister said perpetrators will be GPS-monitored to have real-time data about where they are going, and will be subject to 'virtual boundaries' which if breached could mean they go to prison.
She said: 'We're putting really strong safeguards attached to these so that we can give victims and survivors the confidence to carry on with their everyday lives.
'We're going to be outlining more details on this as well, as we're bringing in the legislation in the autumn.'
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