Victims of violent crime are not being told about their attacker’s release from prison because of a “scandalous” data protection loophole in a support scheme.
They receive information about their assailant being freed if they were jailed for more than 18 months.
But a flaw in the Victim Notification Scheme (VNS), managed by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), means people are not told about their attacker’s release date if they are then convicted of a separate crime which leads to an extended sentence.
A letter sent by the SPS to one victim said: “As you will be no longer eligible to be registered on the VNS, all your personal data the SPS holds will be destroyed in compliance with data protection requirements.”
Campaigners and politicians have hit out at the regulation and called for an overhaul of the system.
Kate Wallace, CEO of Victim Support Scotland, said: “It’s important that people affected by crime have the right level of information provided to them about the offender, as well as access to support services.
“We’ve heard too many accounts of victims who have been traumatised when they receive letters, without any prior warning, updating them as to the whereabouts of the offender.
"We believe that the VNS needs improvement to avoid such trauma taking place. We also need support packages in place for vulnerable victims in this situation.
“We are advocating positive changes to the VNS and call on the wider criminal justice sector to put victims first.”
Scottish Tories’ shadow justice spokesman Liam Kerr added: “I can only imagine how difficult it would be for a victim to receive this letter.
"To be promised they’ll be told when their perpetrator is back on the streets then to have that information kept secret is scandalous.
"Victims should be entitled to know when their perpetrator is released.”
The SPS confirmed they would not be able to inform victims of any crimes unrelated to them due to data protection.
A Scottish Government spokesman said Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf wanted to improve the VNS scheme, adding: “All relevant statutory and third-sector partners will together discuss where improvements can be made.”
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