Three Women Fear for Their Lives as Abusive Ex-Partners Set for Early Release Under Prison Capacity Plan

Three women who have been notified that their abusive former partners will be released from prison early have spoken of their terror for their own safety, as the UK government presses ahead with emergency measures to ease overcrowding in jails across England and Wales.

Around 700 offenders are due to leave custody on Thursday under the early release scheme, with a further 3,800 expected to be freed over the coming year. Before the releases, victims were sent letters from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) informing them that the people who had abused them would be let out ahead of schedule.

One of those women, Claire Milne, said she is frightened her ex-husband will come after her once he is back in the community. Robert Dales, 36, was convicted in March this year of coercive control and possession of offensive weapons, including samurai and ninja swords. He received a three-year prison sentence.

Milne described a relationship marked by physical violence and constant intimidation. She said there were threats to kill her, and that Dales punched doors and walls. She explained that she spent the entire relationship "treading on egg shells," carefully choosing her words to avoid triggering any escalation in his behaviour.

The MoJ recently wrote to Milne to tell her that Dales would be released early. "I am scared that he will come after me. I don't want to die," she said. "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." She added that she felt "incredibly angry" with the government, accusing ministers of failing to listen to victims of crime.

The letters sent to victims explain that an offender's release date has been revised and acknowledge that the news is likely to be distressing. They state that detailed plans will be put in place to manage any risks associated with the release, and that the safety of the victim and the wider public are central to that planning. The correspondence also sets out how the Probation Service will oversee the offender's release and how victims can make representations about licence conditions if they wish to do so.

Karen Haynes, a second woman affected by the scheme, received similar news about her ex-husband, Christopher Haynes. The former primary school teacher was sentenced to 21 months in prison in April after admitting to coercive control against her. She has been told he will be released in November.

Haynes said she was distraught when she learned of the decision, describing it as "a punch in the gut." She said she and others had fought hard and had to use every part of the system to secure justice, only to find that a man who admitted to such behaviour could be freed after serving just seven months in custody.

She also spoke of the emotional toll the abuse had taken on her family, particularly around the festive period. "He always made Christmas so hard," she said. "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."

A third woman, who asked to be identified only as Alice because she fears what her former partner might do, was also subjected to domestic abuse. Her perpetrator is due to be released later this month. She has asked the BBC not to name her or her ex-partner out of concern for her safety.

The releases form part of a controversial government strategy to create space in a prison system that officials say is close to breaking point. Prisons in England and Wales are currently operating at 98% capacity. The latest government figures show only 1,134 places remain in the adult male prison estate — the lowest number of vacant beds recorded this year.

Under the new arrangements, inmates serving sentences of up to 19 months will be released after completing just one third of their jail term. Most of those affected had expected to serve 40% of their sentence behind bars, with the rest spent on licence in the community.

Prison staff have told the BBC that they are increasingly being forced to place inmates in cells that are unsuitable because of the shortage of space. They argue there is no alternative but to release more prisoners, given the urgent need for room.

The MoJ acknowledged that domestic abuse has a "profound and lasting" impact on victims, but insisted the government is committed to keeping the most dangerous offenders behind bars. It said those jailed for rape, child sex abuse offences and manslaughter would remain in prison, and warned that going further than the current measures would risk the prison system collapsing altogether.

An MoJ spokesperson said the government is investing £1 billion in support services, including placing domestic abuse specialists in 999 call centres, as part of efforts to improve the response to victims.

Charities and campaigners have long warned that survivors of domestic abuse face heightened danger around the point of an offender's release, particularly when that release comes earlier than expected. For the women in this case, the letters from the MoJ have brought a renewed sense of uncertainty and fear, with the promise of risk-management plans doing little to calm their anxieties. Each of them now faces the coming weeks knowing that the person who abused them will soon be back in the community, while they are left to wonder whether the safeguards in place will be enough to keep them safe.