Released offender charged with sexual assault “within an hour of early release”

Court documents seen by The Sun show that Ward committed a crime “on the same day he was released” and must now return to prison until 2026.

Martin Jones, the chief probation officer, predicted the early recall on Tuesday, saying that prisoners would “almost certainly” be sent back to prison “within days or weeks” because “things are going wrong in society” and they are violating the terms of their probation.

He said that based on past trends, a third of those released were likely to reoffend within a year of their release.

Ministry of Justice figures show that between January and March this year, 7,415 prisoners were recalled for breaching their conditions, 9 percent more than in the same quarter last year.

“People will be nervous”

Charlie Taylor, the chief inspector of prisons, said those released would include violent criminals who posed a “high risk” to the public.

Mr Taylor told the BBC he was aware that “people will be nervous” as “there is a risk that some prisoners will reoffend”.

Excluded from the government were sex offenders, terrorists, convicted cases of domestic violence and anyone sentenced to more than four years in prison for violence.

However, the prisoners released would also include those who had been imprisoned for violence for less than four years, as well as people who may have attacked and caused serious bodily harm to their partner or former spouse, but were not convicted of a specific domestic violence offence such as stalking or coercive control.

A British Transport Police spokesman said: “Amari Lindon Ward, 31, born 30 July 1993, has been charged with sexual assault following an incident at Sittingbourne railway station at around 1.07pm on 10 September. He has been remanded to prison and is due to appear at Maidstone Crown Court on 10 October.”