Labour fiasco as UK's most despicable prisoners to be freed early due to key detail

Killers, rapists and burglars already in prison will benefit from Labour's disastrous sentencing reforms and get released early, the Daily Express can reveal. Labour's proposed new "progression model" - which could allow offenders out after serving just 33% of their sentences - will apply retrospectively.

This means thousands already locked up for crimes such as rape, burglary, stalking, domestic abuse and even death by dangerous driving will serve less time, despite already being sentenced.

Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick told the Daily Express ministers should be alarmed by the prospect of "more rapes, abuse and violence on our streets". Under Labour's plans, killers and rapists will be let out of prison early, while 43,000 criminals will avoid jail altogether.

Many will be out after spending just a third of their jail term in prison.

And those sentenced to four years or more will only be let out after serving 50% of their sentence behind bars.

But confirmation that the hugely controversial changes will apply retrospectively will ignite a fresh crisis in the criminal justice system.

Mr Jenrick told the Daily Express: "This Bill rewards some of the most despicable people in our country. There is no two ways about this - slashing prison sentences for the most serious criminals will mean more rapes, abuse and violence on our streets.

"To add insult to injury, Labour are going to let existing criminals out of prison even earlier. Thousands of hardened criminals won't believe their luck if this Bill passes."

Analysis seen by the Daily Express reveals how the "commencement date" of the piece of the legislation that allows offenders to be released early is not specified.

This would instead be set by Justice Secretary David Lammy.

And legal experts in the House of Commons have told some Tory MPs that "the expectation is that the new release measures would apply to people already sentenced".

The move would prompt fresh fears of chaos on the streets as Labour scrambles to prevent an overcrowding crisis behind bars.

It comes after the Sunday Express revealed child sex abusers locked up for "some of the worst possible offences" could be let out after spending just a third of their jail term behind bars, according to research seen by the Sunday Express.

This is because only the most "serious" offenders will be forced to spend half of their sentence in prison, a cut from the current 67%. This list includes those convicted of rape and assault by penetration.

But perverts caught making, distributing or publishing child sex abuse images and fiends jailed for sexual activity with a child could spend just a third of their sentence behind bars.

The Sunday Express revealed 2,254 offenders were locked up for child sex offences last year.

This included 167 perverts jailed for raping a female under 16.

Some 548 paedophiles jailed for taking, permitting, making, distributing or publishing indecent images of children will also spend less time behind bars.

And 229 people convicted of sexual grooming could be allowed home sooner, figures show, if a similar number is jailed under the proposed new 'progression model'.

Another 200 offenders - aged over 18 - jailed for sexual activity involving a child under 16 - will spend less time in prison.

A staggering 104 people jailed for sexual activity with a child under 13, and 248 caged for sexually assaulting a girl under 13 could also benefit from the softest sentencing reforms in a generation.

A shocking 54 people locked up for raping a child under the age of 13 could also be let out earlier.

This means a staggering 82% of offenders convicted of child sex offences will receive a lighter sentence, when compared against last year's figures.