Families who have lost loved ones to homicide, including BBC racing commentator John Hunt, are calling on the Government to prevent people convicted of manslaughter from benefiting from its early release scheme.
In a letter to Justice Secretary Alex Norris, the bereaved families said they were deeply concerned that victims and their relatives were being left to “bear the consequences of the prison capacity crisis.”
The campaign comes as ministers consider changes to the scheme following widespread concern over the possible early release of the men convicted of unlawfully killing PC Andrew Harper.
Families say any exemption must go further and cover all forms of manslaughter, including voluntary manslaughter.
Pictured: Carol, John, Amy, Louise and Hannah Hunt whose lives were ripped apart by Kyle Clifford
Andrew Harper was killed when he got caught in a strap attached to the back of a car and was dragged down a country road in 2019
Jessie Cole (left) and Albert Bowers (right), who under current plans remain eligible to be freed in January
Families say homicide victims must not be overlooked
Among those who signed the letter is Emma Webber, whose son Barnaby was stabbed to death in Nottingham in 2023.
Barnaby’s killer, Valdo Calocane, was convicted of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
Diana Parkes, whose daughter Joanna Simpson was killed by her estranged husband Robert Brown in 2010, is also a signatory. Brown was similarly convicted of manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility.
John and Penny Clough, parents of murdered nurse Jane Clough, have also signed the appeal.
John and Amy Hunt, close family members of Carol Hunt and her daughters Hannah and Louise, are among those supporting the call.
Carol, Hannah and Louise were murdered in their home by Louise’s former boyfriend, Kyle Clifford, in 2024.
Clifford was convicted of three counts of murder and given a whole-life order. Because murder convictions are already excluded from the early release changes, his sentence is not affected by the current dispute.
Emma Webber, whose son Barnaby was stabbed to death in Nottingham in 2023
Valdo Calocane was convicted of manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility
Left to right: Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar who were killed in Nottingham in 2023
‘All forms of manslaughter should be excluded’
The families welcomed reports that the Government was considering protecting those affected by the killing of PC Andrew Harper from the early release scheme.
But they argued that creating an exemption only for unlawful act manslaughter would leave other bereaved families facing a similar situation.
“The death of PC Harper was horrific and the strength of public feeling around this case is huge and shared by us all,” they wrote.
“We believe the Government is right to recognise that offences of this gravity should not benefit from accelerated release.”
They continued: “As the Government considers excluding unlawful act manslaughter from the scheme, it must follow that all forms of manslaughter are also excluded, and notably voluntary manslaughter, which by law is a more serious crime.”
The families warned that protecting one category of homicide victims while leaving another exposed could create an unfair distinction between bereaved families.
“The protection now being considered for one group of bereaved families should not inadvertently exclude others whose loved ones were killed,” they said.
Concerns over domestic homicide cases
The letter also highlights the particular concern surrounding domestic killings.
The families pointed out that some serious domestic homicides result in convictions for voluntary manslaughter rather than murder.
They argued that allowing offenders convicted in such cases to qualify for early release could be difficult to reconcile with the Government’s stated commitment to halving violence against women and girls.
The signatories said they had spoken with numerous families affected by homicide in recent days and found a consistent concern among them.
“Many feel that victims are being asked to bear the consequences of the prison capacity crisis through the earlier release of those convicted of the most serious offences,” they wrote.
They warned that, regardless of the Government’s intentions, the policy was creating a growing perception that justice for victims and public protection were being compromised because of pressure elsewhere in the prison system.
PC Andrew Harper’s killers could be released early
The debate was intensified by the case of PC Andrew Harper, who was killed in 2019.
Harper was fatally injured after becoming caught in a strap attached to the back of a car and being dragged along a country road as three men fled following a quad bike theft in Sulhamstead, Berkshire.
Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers were convicted of unlawful act manslaughter and sentenced to 13 years in prison.
Under the current plans, they remain eligible for early release in January, meaning they could leave prison halfway through their sentences.
The Government has indicated it wants to prevent Harper’s killers from benefiting from the scheme.
The families argue that doing so should be part of a broader exemption covering voluntary manslaughter as well.
What is the difference between voluntary and involuntary manslaughter?
Voluntary manslaughter involves a killing where there was an intention to kill or cause serious harm, but a partial defence applies.
Those partial defences include loss of control, diminished responsibility and killing pursuant to a suicide pact.
Involuntary manslaughter covers cases in which a person did not intend to kill or cause serious harm but their conduct nevertheless resulted in death.
This can include grossly negligent conduct involving an obvious risk of death, as well as an unlawful act involving a risk of some harm that results in someone’s death.
Government promises tougher approach
The Ministry of Justice says it is already working on changes to prevent some of the most dangerous offenders from being released early.
A spokesman said: “We have always stated we wanted to go further, and we are fast-tracking a plan to keep more of the most dangerous offenders behind bars.”
The Government says murderers, as well as prisoners serving sentences for rape, serious child sexual abuse and grooming offences, are already excluded from the relevant changes.
The spokesman also acknowledged the public anger surrounding the situation, saying the Government inherited a prison system “on the brink of collapse.”
Ministers say they are addressing capacity pressures by building 14,000 new prison places, expanding electronic tagging, and increasing investment in probation services.
The Government is also examining additional measures, including faster deportation of foreign criminals, greater use of the women’s prison estate and a review of Imprisonment for Public Protection, or IPP, sentences.
For the families campaigning for wider exclusions, however, the issue is about more than prison capacity.
They want the Government to ensure that people convicted of serious manslaughter cannot receive accelerated release simply because their offence falls outside the specific categories currently being considered.
They have urged ministers to include voluntary manslaughter in any exemption introduced to protect the families of homicide victims.
