The family of murdered toddler Maya Chappell have welcomed Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s decision to pause early prisoner releases until an urgent review has been completed.
Mr Burnham said no prisoners would be freed under the policy while ministers examine the risks and consider whether changes are needed before it proceeds.
The scheme had been due to begin in September and could have made 6,000 prisoners eligible for release early.
Maya’s family had been warned that her mother, Dana Carr, could be released after serving less than three years of the nine-year sentence imposed for allowing the two-and-a-half-year-old’s death and child cruelty.
Maya’s great-aunt Gemma Chappell said the announcement had lifted a “weight” from the family after weeks of uncertainty.
She said: “This is such a relief. It builds trust in Andy Burnham and the Government, and it goes some way towards giving families and victims of crime confidence that they will be heard and that the Prime Minister will do the right thing.
“Putting that step in place and making sure no prisoners are released early in this timeframe is a weight off our shoulders.
“We were worrying that Dana would be released in the coming weeks and months.”
Announcing the pause, Mr Burnham said: “Keeping the public safe will always be my top priority.
“I am working closely with the new Justice Secretary and have instructed my team to put a pause on the changes that were due to start in September.
“No prisoners will be let out under this policy until we have conducted an urgent review and done everything we can to minimise risk to the public.
“Where changes are needed, we will not hesitate to make them.”
Gemma said the family’s opposition to Carr’s possible early release had never been motivated by party politics.
She added: “It’s never been about politics. It has only ever been about doing the right thing and what is right for victims.
“In the first place, when the early release measures and Sentencing Act came in, what gave those people the right to let criminals and convicts out early and torment victims and families even more?
“You cannot let child killers and accomplices out early.”
Gemma said the family accepted Carr was unlikely to serve every day of the nine-year term, but hoped the review would prevent her release within weeks or months.
She said: “We’re not naive. Of course Dana’s nine years won’t be nine years, but hopefully, when Andy Burnham reviews this, she will still have years left on her sentence, not weeks and months.”
Maya was fatally assaulted at her home in Shotton Colliery, County Durham, in September 2022.
Carr’s former partner, Michael Daymond, shook the defenceless toddler before she was taken to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary, where she died two days later.
Daymond was convicted of Maya’s murder and child cruelty and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 20 years.
Carr, 27, was convicted of allowing Maya’s death and child cruelty and received a nine-year jail term in December 2023.
She later applied to have the sentence reduced at the Court of Appeal, but the challenge was rejected.
A request was also made for the sentence to be referred to the Court of Appeal as unduly lenient, but the then solicitor general decided not to refer the case.
After receiving the warning about Carr’s possible early release, Maya’s family contacted MPs, ministers, legal teams and the prison service in an attempt to challenge it.
They were told there appeared to be little prospect of legally blocking her release.
The prison service said Carr could face electronic tagging, a curfew, exclusion zones, probation supervision and restrictions on contact or travel if released on licence.
She could also be recalled to prison if she breached those conditions.
Despite the PM's announcement, Gemma has questioned Defence Secretary Wes Streeting, who was picked up by a microphone earlier this week joking about prisoner releases.
During a conversation with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Justice Secretary Alex Norris, Mr Streeting referred to Mr Norris as “the enemy now” and said he “wants to let them all out”.
Mr Streeting said the remark was a reference to an old joke shared between Theresa May and Kenneth Clarke.
He said there had been no ill intent, and apologised for any offence caused.
Gemma said the remarks were upsetting for families facing uncertainty over offenders’ release dates.
She said: “It was very disappointing and upsetting that Wes Streeting came out with that.
“We have a Prime Minister who says he wants to look at this policy, put victims first and show victims they matter and are at the forefront when a criminal offence has been committed.
“But then Wes Streeting has gone and said that. It makes you wonder what conversations are happening behind closed doors.
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“What are the conversations they are having outside the public arena?
“Victims deserve him to give a full public apology.”
She added: “He should not have made the jokes that make a massive impact on families. There are no jokes to be made there.
“He is saying there was no ill intent, but there should have been no mention of it at all.
“What conversations are happening in the background? He is feeling confident enough to joke in public.
“It is worrying. I hope Andy Burnham deals with him appropriately for this.”
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