Rejected petition: Amend the Sentencing Act 2026 to Exclude Rapists from Early Release
Rejected on
Amend the Sentencing Act 2026 to exclude those convicted of rape and serious sexual offences from any early release provisions. Require them to serve at least 67% of their custodial sentence before release to better protect the public and support victims.
This change is deeply distressing for victims of rape and sexual violence. Many survivors already feel that sentences are too short and do not reflect the severity of the harm caused. Reducing time served even further risks undermining public confidence in the justice system and can retraumatise victims. Rapists should not be benefiting from reduced time in custody when the impact on victims is lifelong and devastating.
Why was this petition rejected?
We can't publish petitions when the request is something that's already happening or something that has been announced since you started your petition.
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Prisoners guilty of rape offences are already barred from the early prison release scheme.
You can read more about this here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/rape-serious-child-sex-and-grooming-offences-barred-from-sentencing-changes
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