Surly's Soap Box

By GEORGE PASCOE-WATSON
Political Editor, and JOHN COLES

THE scandal over Britain’s soft justice system — as highlighted by The Sun — took an astonishing new twist last night.

It was revealed that FIFTY-THREE criminals sentenced to life since 2000 have been released.

The shocking disclosure came as a furious dad backed our campaign against soft judges after the paedophile who kidnapped and abused his little daughter was told he could be free in five years.

The figures released last night by the Home Office mean some lifers served at most just over SIX YEARS for the most serious crimes, which are likely to have included killings and rapes.

It is believed one of the 53 lifers was freed after serving less than 15 months.

Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said: “It is a condemnation of the dishonesty of the Government’s penal policy that so many so-called life terms have expired in less than six years.

“This Government continues to talk tough on crime and act soft on criminals and in doing so irresponsibly puts the public at risk.”

Incredibly, one convicted lag was released on licence, then sent back to jail, only to be set free AGAIN.

Junior Home Office Minister Gerry Sutcliffe revealed the details answering a written Parliamentary question.

There was no Commons statement about the releases, despite Home Secretary John Reid portraying himself as an “enforcer” determined to get all the problems out in the open.

Mr Sutcliffe said that the criteria for releasing the 53 prisoners was that they had served their minimum term or tariff and risk to the public was “acceptable”.

He did not reveal the crimes of the 53 but Mr Reid will be under pressure today to come clean over the extent of the shambles.

Separate figures revealed that 23 prisoners jailed for life were now on the run after being freed on licence. A further 600 were being hunted after cutting off their electronic tags.

Pervert Craig Sweeney, 24, was jailed for life by Judge John Griffith Williams on Monday for snatching and sexually assaulting a three-year-old girl — but was told he could apply for parole in just over five years.

The sentence at Cardiff Crown Court came on the day we launched our crusade to weed out weak judges.

The girl’s 35-year-old dad said yesterday: “I back The Sun’s campaign totally. This man has destroyed my family but he could be out of prison before my daughter leaves primary school.

“If ever there was a crime where life should mean life, this is it. Judges should be accountable to the public.”

He spoke as PM Tony Blair added his support for our campaign.

Sick Sweeney, 24, who had been freed early after another child sex crime, took the girl from her Cardiff home and subjected her to a three-hour nightmare during which he assaulted her three times.

The girl’s mother, 34, said: “He ruined our lives for ever. She’s been through hell and will never be the same again.”

Meanwhile, it was revealed last night that a serial child sex abuser could be freed from prison just FIVE WEEKS after he was convicted of molesting a four-year-old girl.

Judge Daniel Worsley called Richard Bruce’s crimes “low level” and caged him for just 27 months.

Bruce, 25, had admitted a string of sex attacks on children. But he has been in custody since his arrest last year and with good behaviour could soon be back on the streets.

Mr Blair’s backing for our campaign was revealed by a Cabinet source with close ties to the PM.

The source said: “He believes he is where the public are on the issue of sentencing. He thinks judges have to be aware of the impact of it on the wider community. If people stop having respect for the punishments handed out, it is a massive own goal.”

Last night the grandfather of a 12-week-old girl raped by monsters Alan Webster and Tanya French accused the sentencing panel and judges of “giving carte blanche to paedophiles”.

Webster had his six-year minimum sentence increased by two years by the Appeal Court, who did not change French’s five-year term.

The grandad said: “If and when paedophiles get caught, they just have to plead guilty straight away and end up doing the sort of sentences these two are doing. Then there’s a great possibility of being released pretty quick, come back out and do the thing again.”