According to new figures revealed by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), 71 inmates were released from prison by mistake over the past year – more than one a week.
It marks the highest number of people released in error since the figures began to be gathered a decade ago, and helps paints a picture of a penal system in chaos.
The Liberal Democrats accused the government of losing control over the prison estate.
The offenders in question are considered to have been mistakenly released if they are discharged from prison or court when they are supposed to remain in custody. But the MoJ said these released offenders would, “depending on the circumstances,” not necessarily be “actively pursued for return to custody.”
The strange errors aside, the latest annual statistical release by the MoJ makes for grim reading. There has been a record 26,643 assaults in prisons across England and Wales over the past year.
And an all-time-high in attacks on prison staff – 7,159 assaults over the course of 2016/17. This includes 805 serious assaults on staff.