UK government denies sex offender tagging plan

LONDON, March 26 (Reuters) – The British Home Office denied reports on Sunday that it planned to fit serious offenders, including sex offenders, with electronic tags and release them into the community, a government spokeswoman told Reuters. `

`There is absolutely no question of electronic tagging being used for the early release of sex offenders or high risk offenders,'' the Home Office spokeswoman said.

Home Secretary (Interior Minister) Jack Straw has repeatedly said electronic tagging will not be used to release sex offenders and other prisoners early.

The Sunday Times suggested that a clause in the Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill could let 230 of the most dangerous inmates out of prison every year under tagging guidelines.

``This is yet another example of Jack Straw's revolving-door prisons policy,'' Ann Widdecombe, the shadow home secretary, said in the Sunday Times.

Straw published his long-awaited criminal justice bill on March 16 with proposals ranging from more electronic tagging of offenders to compulsory drug test powers for the police.