WARNINGS that the government’s early prisoner release scheme would expose women to even more danger were “proven correct,” a leading campaigner has said.

This comes after a man allegedly sexually assaulted a woman on the same day he was freed from prison under the scheme.

PA news agency reported seeing court documents showing that a man released last Tuesday, reoffended that same day in Sittingbourne in Kent.

After being arrested in south London, the man appeared at a magistrates’ court two days later charged with sexual assault.

He is due to appear at the crown court next month.

The man was freed under the government’s early release policy, which aims to ease prison overcrowding. 

Around 1,750 were released when the scheme came into effect last Tuesday.

Some prisoners were released after serving 40 per cent of their sentence, rather than the 50 per cent for inmates serving determinate sentences.

This phase of the scheme applied to those handed jail terms of less than five years.

Those serving violent offences were among those eligible.

The second phase will see the release of those with sentences of more than half a decade.

The government says it will not apply to “serious offenders” like sex offenders and murderers.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said the government “had no choice” but to introduce the early releases.