BBC News
· collected 2026-09-30 · by Sima Kotecha, Jade Thompson, Claire Ellison
Three women whose abusive ex-partners will be released early from jail under a government plan fear for their safety. The plan aims to free up prison space by releasing 700 offenders this week, with an additional 3,800 scheduled over the next year. Victims are receiving letters informing them that their attackers will soon be out of prison, sparking concern and anger among those affected. Claire Milne's ex-husband, Robert Dales, who was sentenced to three years for coercive control and weapon possession, is set to be released early, causing her significant distress.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-30,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
- Published
Three women who have been told their abusive ex-partners will be released early from jail as part of controversial plans to free up prison space have said they fear for their safety.
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they → publish → safety
Around 700 offenders will leave prison in England and Wales on Thursday under the government's early prisoner release plan - with a further 3,800 scheduled for release over the next year.
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3,800 → leave → year
Ahead of the releases, victims have been sent letters informing them that their attackers will be let out early.
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attackers → send → them
'I don't want to die'
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I → want → ?
Claire Milne's ex-husband, Robert Dales, was convicted in March this year of coercive control and possessing offensive weapons, including samurai and ninja swords.
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husband → convict → swords
He was sentenced to three years in prison.
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He → sentence → prison
"There was physical violence," said Milne.
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Milne → be → ?
I trod on egg shells throughout the entire relationship and it was almost like I had to coach myself into what to say just to ensure there wouldn't be an escalation."
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) recently told her Dales, 36, would be released early.
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Dales → tread → her
"I am scared that he will come after me.
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he → come → me
I don't want to die," she said.
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she → want → ?
"I am not a silly woman - I know that I've been in a very high-risk domestic abuse relationship and I know what he's capable of because I lived it."
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I → know → it
She said she was "incredibly angry" with the government, who were "not listening to victims".
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who → say → victims
It comes as prison staff have told the BBC they are increasingly having to put inmates in cells that are unsuitable because of the lack of space.
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that → come → space
They argue there is no choice but to release more prisoners as room is urgently needed.
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room → argue → prisoners
Prisons across England and Wales are at 98% capacity, with the latest government figures showing there are just 1,134 spaces remaining in the adult male prison estate.
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figures → show → estate
Under the new scheme, inmates serving sentences of up to 19 months will be released after completing a third of their jail term.
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inmates → serve → term
Most will have expected to spend 40% of their sentence behind bars - with the remainder served in the community.
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remainder → expect → community
The MoJ said that while domestic abuse had a "profound and lasting" impact on victims, the government was committed to keeping the most dangerous prisoners behind bars.
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government → say → bars
It said offenders jailed for rape, child sex abuse offences and manslaughter would stay in prison, but going further than that would risk the prison system collapsing.
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system → say → that
An MoJ spokesperson said the government was investing £1bn in support services, including placing domestic abuse specialists in 999 call centres.
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government → say → centres
In April, former primary school teacher Christopher Haynes was sentenced to 21 months in prison after admitting to coercive control against his now ex-wife, who has also been notified of his early release.
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who → sentence → release
Karen Haynes told the BBC she was distraught and said it was "a punch in the gut".
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it → tell → gut
"We have fought so hard and we have had to use every inch of the system to get justice," she continued.
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she → fight → justice
"I just find it devastating that somebody [who] can admit all of that can be released after only doing seven months of a custodial sentence.
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who → find → sentence
She has been told her ex-husband will now be released in November.
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husband → tell → November
"He always made Christmas so hard," said Karen.
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Karen → make → ?
"We were constantly scared, we wanted one Christmas without him and without us being frightened he will turn up - but it looks like we won't even get that now."
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we → want → that
'Like the rug has been pulled out from underneath me'
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rug → pull → me
Another victim, Alice - not her real name - was subjected to domestic abuse.
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victim → subject → abuse
Her perpetrator is due to be released later this month.
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perpetrator → release → ?
She has asked that we do not name her or her ex-partner because she is frightened of what he might do.
uncertain
he → ask → what
"I am terrified," she said.
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she → terrify → ?
"I had only just started to feel safe and to process what I had gone through."
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I → start → what
She said she felt like "the rug had been pulled out from underneath me".
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rug → say → me
From 13 October, governors will release a second tranche of 650 prisoners who have been serving sentences of between 19 months and two years and five months.
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who → release → months
Inmates will be released in nine tranches until June next year.
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Inmates → release → June
Those serving longer sentences - including more dangerous criminals - will not become eligible for the scheme until next year.
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Those → serve → year
They had previously expected to spend two thirds of their sentence behind bars, but instead will complete half of their term in prison before spending the rest of their punishment in the community on licence.
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They → expect → licence
Dame Nicole Jacobs, the domestic abuse commissioner for England and Wales, called the scheme "shameful" and said she's had "no assurance that the danger perpetrators pose has been properly considered and assessed with meaningful input from victims".
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perpetrators → call → victims
"Ultimately, we cannot ignore the fact that the early release scheme has caused untold damage to victims' confidence in the justice system," Dame Nicole added.
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Nicole → ignore → system
…and 8 more, not listed.
The Aporia
