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Grooming Gang Survivor Told Her Abusers Might Be Eligible for Early Release Under Labour Plan
Fiona Goddard received notice that the seven men convicted of raping her as a teenager may serve only one-third of their sentences under a new government scheme. She said the letter has triggered trauma and left her feeling unsafe at home.
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Fiona Goddard received a letter from her victim liaison officer warning that the seven men convicted of raping her between the ages of 15 and 17 could be released after serving one-third of their sentences. Goddard secured those convictions in 2019 after the men were found guilty of multiple counts of rape against her and several other children.
Last year, officials told her the offenders would serve half their sentences.
The letter has "turned her life upside down," Goddard told GB News. She said it triggered trauma she believed she had processed, caused her hair to fall out, left her struggling to sleep, and made her feel on edge in her own home. "I'm now having this snatched back away from me, and it's me and my family that will face the consequences," she said.
Goddard urged the Labour Government to exempt rapists and child sex offenders from any early release scheme, including the Sentencing Act 2026. " A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said the government inherited a prison system in crisis and is building 14,000 more prison places.
The spokesperson added that prisoners convicted of the most serious crimes will be excluded from earlier release and that those who misbehave can face longer terms.
