A RECORD number of prisoners were freed in error last year.
There were 262 wrongly released in the 12 months to March, figures show.
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It is a 128 per cent rise on the 115 between 2023 and 2024 — the biggest year-on-year increase.
Some were released as their crimes for breaching restraining orders were wrongly logged.
HM Prison and Probation Service said the total included some incorrectly let out under Labour’s early release scheme.
Thousands were freed after serving just 40 per cent of their time.
It led to farcical scenes of lags popping champagne corks.
Former Tory minister Sir Alec Shelbrooke said then-Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood should “take accountability” for the figures.
He fumed: “These figures are very alarming.
“There should be accountability when a prisoner is released early in error – and it has to go right to the top of the chain, including the Justice Secretary.
“Nobody wants to live in a lawless society. The idea that multiple people a week can be set free by mistake is scandalous.”
The Ministry of Justice said: “We’ve set up a specialist team to clamp down on those releases.”
