Grooming gang survivors have written to MPs urging them to exclude sexual offenders from any early prison release, ahead of a parliamentary debate on the Sentencing Act 2026. The proposed legislation would cut the time some prisoners serve in order to ease overcrowding, but survivors argue such measures leave them fearful that those who harmed them could return to the community sooner than expected. The letter frames the issue as one of whether survivors continue to matter beyond the point of securing a conviction.

The letter was signed by five women from Yorkshire and the mother of a late victim from Rochdale, including Rotherham survivor Sarah Wilson — who said two of her seven convicted attackers could be eligible for early release — and Bradford survivor Fiona Goddard. It calls for a clear legal duty to notify victims in good time of any release, alongside proper safeguarding and support. The Ministry of Justice said it had toughened sentencing for child sex offences, that the most dangerous offenders are excluded from early release, and that those freed face 24/7 monitoring, tagging and movement restrictions; it added it is building 14,000 prison places, with 3,200 already delivered. The Conservatives have said they would force a vote to strip rapists, paedophiles and grooming gang members of automatic early release.