The Home Secretary is expected to stop potentially dangerous criminal suspects including rapists from being released into the community without bail restrictions.
Priti Patel will scrap the presumption against releasing suspected offenders on pre-charge bail introduced by former prime minister Theresa May and implemented in 2017 under new laws to be unveiled this month. Police will instead be expected to use bail in cases where it is “necessary and proportionate”, including those in which there are risks to victims, witnesses and the public, and where it could prevent re-offending.
Priti Patel will also increase the period for which criminal suspects can be bailed from 28 days to up to 90, if reports by The Telegraph are to be believed. This will allow police and prosecutors more time to gather evidence for any prosecution before they have to be released. The announcements appear as Freedom of Information figures show that the number of criminal suspects released while still under investigation rose from 6,464 in 2016 to 97,473 in 2019.
Commenting on the subject, a Home Office source told The Telegraph, “We want officers to use bail more and to take into greater consideration the victims and impact any decision will have on them. It is putting victims and any other people who may be affected at the heart of the bail process.”
