Met chief's fury at the 'revolving door' of justice: Jail release farce as 100 criminals a DAY breach tag conditions - but 'face no penalty'

Published: 00:23 BST, 9 October 2026 | Updated: 00:29 BST, 9 October 2026

The head of Scotland Yard warned of a ‘revolving door’ of justice – as his officers are now dealing with 100 electronic tag breaches a day by criminals.

Sir Mark Rowley hit out at Labour’s early release scheme, saying his officers are wasting their time arresting criminals for breaching their electronic tag conditions – only for them to face ‘zero sanction’ in court.

Meanwhile, Met officers are arresting two or three offenders a week who have been freed from prison under the scheme. 

Police leaders say the situation will only get worse as more dangerous offenders are let out under Labour’s soft justice reforms.

Britain’s top officer spoke out as it emerged a sex offender and prolific shoplifter linked to over 100 investigations went on a stealing spree in London just a day after being freed early from Wandsworth Prison.

Last Thursday, Michael Bogle, 38, declared, ‘Keep the early release going, it’s good’ as he walked out of jail having served just 78 days for breaching a 32-week suspended sentence for shoplifting. It was his fifth prison sentence. Now he is back in jail for another eight months after being arrested on Monday for a shoplifting spree over the weekend.

‘I’m worried about the number of offenders being released into communities,’ Sir Mark told LBC radio.

‘At the moment we’re arresting two or three early release offenders a week who are being recalled to prison or doing further offending. 

Sir Mark Rowley takes part in Call the Commissioner, his live phone-in on LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast show

Serial offender Michael Bogle is back in jail for another eight months after being arrested on Monday for a shoplifting spree over the weekend

'We’re getting increasing numbers of tag breaches to enforce that probation is sending to us. It’s now over 100 tag breaches a day in London – and rising.

‘So, we take them to court. We’re seeing 95 per cent plus of the tagging breaches that we arrest are simply being bailed back into the community on the same conditions. So, there is zero sanction.’

Under the new reforms, shorter sentences have been ditched, meaning fewer offenders are being jailed. Police also have to monitor criminals released early.

Sir Mark warned: ‘We’re seeing fewer people remanded in prison. That’s leaving more prolific and volatile people in communities.’

As a result, arrest warrants have doubled, he said. ‘This year we were getting 800 arrest warrants a month. We’re now getting the best part of 1,600.’

He added: ‘So this is a really difficult situation. Officers are really concerned and frustrated that they’re trying to deal with danger on behalf of the public, and the system is losing its strength to do it.’

Bogle, a ‘high-risk offender’ linked to over 100 investigations, spent the weekend raiding stores, not caring that he was caught on CCTV. He had been released early from a sentence for shoplifting and breaching a criminal behaviour order.

Police had to hunt the offender, who has 16 previous convictions for theft, criminal damage and indecent exposure, and send him back to jail for four counts of shoplifting, breaching court orders and commercial burglary.

Borough Commander for North West London, Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams, emailed local politicians about the case, warning victims are ‘losing confidence in a system that is not handling offenders and suspects adequately: tagging orders are not being strictly enforced and dangerous people are frequently being released on bail’.

He said: ‘The concerning nature of the early release scheme in this case was a known prolific offender being put back into the community, only to immediately reoffend.’

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: ‘Labour let out this prolific offender early last Thursday – and he has already embarked on a crime spree.’

He added: ‘Labour’s reckless and botched release scheme is unleashing a crime wave already.’

Police chiefs are demanding the Government provide an extra £480million because of the extra costs of dealing with offenders freed early. Last week, 700 prisoners, including violent offenders, were let out.

An estimated 4,500 criminals will be let out early over the next 10 months.