Boris Johnson brands case of serial rapist Joseph McCann 'absolutely appalling'

Rebecca Speare-Cole7 December 2019
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The Prime Minister has banded the case of serial rapist Joseph McCann as "absolutely appalling".

It comes after the probation service apologised for failings that enabled the attacker to prey on women and children.

McCann, 34, abducted, raped and assaulted victims aged between 11 and 71 in Watford, London and the North West during a cocaine and vodka-fuelled rampage in April and May.

McCann abducted, raped and assaulted victims aged between 11 and 71 in Watford
PA

The Ministry of Justice launched an inquiry into why McCann was not recalled to prison after he committed a burglary while on licence for an earlier offence.

He was instead handed a fixed prison sentence and released automatically halfway through it, without Parole Board involvement, in February.

Boris Johnson was questioned about the McCann case while on the campaign trail in Cheadle, near Stockport, on Saturday.

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson puts on goalkeeper gloves as he campaigns in Cheadle Hulme
AP

Asked whether anyone in Government should take responsibility, the Prime Minister said: "I think it's an absolutely appalling case and shows that there is something very wrong and what we're going to do is, what I've said for a long, long time, is that we want to review the way sentencing takes place and the way sentences are served.

"And at the moment, the automatic early release at the halfway point for serious sexual and violent offenders is totally wrong, and I said that back in August, and we're going to stop that.

"We have a Bill ready to go in Parliament, if we can get a working majority on Thursday, we will not only get Brexit done, we will get other things done, including that."

Joseph McCann found guilty

1/22

The probation service has apologised "unreservedly" for its "failings" in its handling of McCann, and committed to learning from the "terrible case".

Of four probation staff in the South East and Eastern division who were directly involved in McCann's supervision, one was demoted.

Boris Johnson was questioned about the McCann case while on the campaign trail in Cheadle
Getty Images

An earlier investigation resulted in one member of staff involved with McCann being dismissed and an agency worker's contract being terminated for "poor performance", although it was not understood to be directly related to the case

On Saturday, Mr Johnson added: "When it comes to this individual case we have to look at exactly what happened and we have to make sure we do not have a continual habit of early release for really serious sexual and violent offenders.

"That doesn't mean you can't have rehabilitation, it doesn't mean you can't do things to ensure you keep people out of prison.

"You can do all sorts of things to work with young people to get their lives back on track, but when someone commits a serious sexual or violent offence they should not be released early."

Earlier on Saturday, the father of London Bridge terror attack victim Jack Merritt accused the Prime Minister of using his son's death to "make political capital" during the BBC Election Debate with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Friday evening.

When discussing security and Fishmongers' Hall attacker Usman Khan, Mr Johnson said it was "wrong" that Khan "who was sentenced to 21 years or 16 years plus five on licence, should have been out automatically on eight years".

But David Merritt said on Twitter there is no justification for cutting the early release tariff and claimed it was just trying to "look tough".

He added: "If prisoners have engaged with rehabilitation and turned their lives around, why should they be punished for what Khan did?"

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