Controversial plans to automatically release long-term prisoners after two-thirds of their sentence were revived by SNP ministers despite direct warnings about the serious safety risk to victims.

Major concerns were raised with the Scottish Government about the threat to women, children and young people when it first mooted the proposal only two years ago, leading to the idea being scrapped.

But new Justice Secretary Neil Gray opted to revive predecessor Angela Constance’s controversial proposal last week, as part of another series of measures to reduce Scotland’s prison population.

It led to claims he had shown ‘contempt’ for vulnerable crime victims by ploughing ahead with the plan despite dire warnings about the potential impact.

In response to the 2024 consultation on long-term prisoner release, Scottish Women’s Aid branded it a ‘regressive step in the commitment towards victim support’ and said that there would be a ‘risk to women, children and young people’.

Children First said blanket changes would leave people feeling the justice system is ‘untrustworthy’ and demanded a Governor Veto so people who are too much of a threat are not released.

Social Work Scotland also warned of a ‘higher level of risk’ over a significant number of prisoners who hadn’t been considered suitable for parole halfway through their sentence, and also raised concerns about resources.

Scottish Tory justice spokesman Stephen Kerr said: ‘It demonstrates the SNP’s utter contempt for vulnerable crime victims that they have ignored the warnings of their own consultation and ploughed ahead with plans to free long-term prisoners dangerously early.

‘Public safety is being put at risk because John Swinney’s only solution to the overcrowding that his government’s failure to build the new prisons has created, is to throw open the doors for inmates.’

When it carried out its 2024 consultation proposing the early release of long-term prisoners after two-thirds of their sentence, the Scottish Government received 161 responses.

It said there was ‘notable support’ for increasing the time some long-term prisoners spend in the community as part of their sentence but ‘respondents expressed concerns about the general risk profile of this cohort and the ability of services to safely manage that risk in the community within current resources’.

A Scottish Government analysis of the consultation said: ‘Some felt these measures would undermine public confidence in the justice system and would negatively impact both reporting of crime and victim experience.’

Scottish Women’s Aid also raised similar concerns with the new proposal unveiled by Mr Gray to automatically release those serving sentences of more than five years at the two-third point of their sentence.

Its chief executive, Dr Marsha Scott, said: ‘Perpetrators of domestic abuse can continue to pose a serious risk long after conviction, including where their current prison sentence is for another offence.

‘It is therefore essential that robust, victim-centred safeguards are built into any new arrangements, including effective risk assessment, timely information sharing, child protection considerations where appropriate, and meaningful safety planning with survivors and the specialist services that support them.’