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Report into early release of prisoner makes 26 recommendations

Mon, 03 Jul 2017

The Government says it's working to improve the Island's parole system after a man caused the death by dangerous driving of a woman just weeks after he was released from prison.

Donovan Kitching was granted early release from prison three weeks before hitting pedestrian Gwen Valentine while fleeing police in a vehicle on the Tholt-y-Will road in 2014.

The findings of an inquiry into Kitching's release and the parole system in general made 26 recommendations for change.

The recommendations include allowing the victims to make a statement in the parole dossier, making sentencing remarks from the Deemster available to the parole committee, and providing more training to the committee.

The Department of Home Affairs says work has already taken place to address most of the recommendations, and that a plan has been drawn up to deal with the remaining issues.

Kitching, who didn't have a licence or insurance, had failed a road-side breath test just before the crash, but drove away from the police officer who had stopped him - he was sentenced to more than 10 years in jail.

Since 2011, more than 70% of prisoners seeking parole have been granted an early release, while more than 20% have been recalled.

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