Ok .. here we go ....
Due to NuLabour trying to reduce the prison population ALL prisoners only serve 50% of the term given except in very particular cases. As this didn't work and the prisons were (are) still overcrowded they then bought in the ECL - End of Custody Licence, where any prisoner serving in excess of 4 weeks (note that) will be released "under licence" 18 days early.
So .. a prisoner sentenced to 4 weeks (28 days) will have to serve 14 days before release.
A prisoner sentenced to 6 weeks (42 days) will be eligible for release after 21 days, however, as he was sentenced to more than 4 weeks, under ECL he is released 18 days early.....
he serves 3 days.
However if he is sentenced on a Thursday, he would be due release on Sunday. Prisoners are not released on weekends, if due they are released on the preceding Friday.
So he is sentenced to 6 weeks on a Thursday and released the next day, serving just 1 night in prison.
Labour :
"Tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime"NOT
(and BTW he gets a financial grant on release as well)
