Prison recall shake-up will free some domestic abusers, ministers admit

Source says ‘many but not all’ abusers and sexual offenders will be excluded from measure in England and Wales

Ministers have admitted that some domestic abusers and sexual abusers will be released under new plans to free up spaces in prisons in England and Wales, despite a denial from another government minister.

Under emergency measures announced by the justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood, some criminals serving sentences of between one and four years who breach their licence conditions will be returned to custody for only a fixed 28-day period.