More prisons problems for the government

More problems for the government and particually for Jack Straw as the media are reporting that a terrorist was released just seven months into a three year sentence as a way of easing prison overcrowding

Times Online reports

A ban on terrorists being released early from jail was announced tonight after Times Online revealed that a convicted terrorist was freed 17 days early under plans to ease overcrowding.
Jack Straw, Justice Secretary, was forced to alter Government policy after today’s revelation that Yassin Nassari was freed from a maximum security prison just seven months after a three-and-a-half-year sentence was handed down.
The controversial early release scheme, known as end of custody licence (ECL), was introduced last year to create more space in the UK’s overcrowded prisons. The Government insisted that only “non-violent” offenders would be freed early, but Nassari was convicted of trying to smuggle missile blueprints into the country

Peter Hoskin writes that

Jack Straw’s been vocal about prisons this week, even suggesting that judges might be “too tough” in the sentences they dish out. Until more prisons are built, incidents like this will continue to shoot down all his arguments.