'Chaos' on Leeds streets with people desperate after 'early prison release'

Night of 'absolute chaos' on Leeds streets with people desperate as 'early prison release' burdens helping hands

Homeless Street Angels charity founder Becky says prison releases are leaving people without shelter, food or clothing, with some fearing they may reoffend

A Leeds homeless charity says people released early from prison have been left facing homelessness, with some considering reoffending because they have nowhere safe to stay.

Homeless Street Angels, which supports people living on the streets, described a night of “absolute chaos” after meeting several people released under the Government’s early release scheme. Becky Joyce, director and co-founder of the charity, said some had come out of prison with no accommodation, food or clothes, leaving the team struggling to find answers.

Speaking to Leeds Live, Becky said: “I think it’s disgusting and they are playing with lives. There’s nothing in place so they can better themselves and the only option many see is committing more crime to get back in so they have a roof over their heads.

“They should be coming out with everything in place so they can start a fresh and live a new life different from the one before. We have managed to arrange a few risk assessments for potential bedsits for a couple of them and we have provided them with clothes and food etc but realistically there is only so much one charity can do.”

Around 700 people were released from prisons across England and Wales on Thursday, October 1, under a Government scheme intended to ease overcrowding. Those released had been serving sentences of up to 19 months and were eligible for release after serving 33 per cent of their sentence, rather than 50 per cent.

The Government said prisons, probation services and councils work together before release to assess housing needs. People at risk of homelessness can be offered up to 12 weeks of basic accommodation.

However, Becky said the charity’s experience on the streets of Leeds raised serious concerns about whether vulnerable people were receiving the support they needed. In a Facebook post she described meeting a young man who had been released with around £80 and nowhere to go. She said he had been approached by a group who got him to buy and smoke spice, after which he became unwell.

'Taken advantage of as soon as he left'

Becky wrote: “He was taken advantage of as soon as he left. A group of guys got him to buy some spice and he tried smoking it with them and he was very poorly and he was just laying on the bench sobbing his heart out because he just didn't know what to do anymore.”

She said the team also encountered a man from Huddersfield who had been released in Leeds and assigned to Leeds probation, but who was struggling to access housing support because he had no local connection to the city.

One of the most distressing encounters involved a young woman with disabilities and her partner, who Becky said were planning to sleep in a train station. The woman uses a wheelchair and has cerebral palsy, scoliosis and autism, while her partner had reportedly gone two days without sleep as he tried to look after her.

Did you know you can make LeedsLive a preferred source of Leeds news in Google, which will mean you get more of our breaking news, exclusives, and must-read stories straight away? Here's more information about what this means and how to do it - you can also do it by clicking here .

In her Facebook post, Becky said the woman had initially been given a hotel room but was forced to leave after having a seizure because she was considered high risk. Her partner did not want to leave her alone, leaving the couple without somewhere to stay.

Becky said: “He was so tired and beside himself he was in tears. Apparently she was given a hotel but had a seizure and forced to leave as she was high risk and now her boyfriend is not wanting to leave her side.”

The charity stepped in to book the couple into a hotel, with Becky personally meeting them after the evening outreach to ensure they arrived safely. She also arranged to meet six people the following morning at Abi House in the hope of finding out more about their circumstances and helping them avoid another night on the streets.

Becky said the situation had become increasingly difficult as the charity faced rising demand and falling donations. She revealed the team had stopped taking out cheesecakes and sweet bags, which had been popular with the people they supported, to save money for essentials such as sleeping bags.

'Truly out of answers'

She wrote on Facebook: “We are truly out of answers at the moment and we are really struggling as everybody is. We have noticed a massive decline in donations and are struggling with funding and the demand is so huge and we are not seeing a way out. Our numbers have easily doubled and we are constantly having to think of ways to make cut backs.”

The charity appealed for donations of sleeping bags, joggers, deodorant, wipes, blankets, drinks, trainers, gloves, underwear, rucksacks and mobile phones, saying it needed help to continue supporting people facing homelessness. The post prompted an outpouring of concern and offers of support from people on Facebook, with many questioning how people could be expected to rebuild their lives without somewhere safe to live.

One social media user, Karen Parnaby Harris, commented: “What is really going on with prison releases? Folk cannot be expected to rehabilitate and follow Licencing rules if they do not have the basics in place, like a place to sleep. Why are small charities being left to carry this responsibility? Why is a young woman who has disabilities also left to sleep rough? Richard Burgon Councillor Salma Arif Mothin Ali”

'Released without anywhere to go'

April Louise also shared her experience of meeting the young woman and her hamster, writing: “We spoke with the young lady and hamster in the wheelchair last Tuesday in the market she showed my youngest the hamster and my eldest spoke with her a little she is such a lovely young lady. It’s so wrong that they are being released without anywhere to go. What happened to doing away with the homeless?”

Others offered practical help. Hannaahh Lou, who runs Bakes by LG, offered to provide cookies, brownies and cheesecakes for the charity’s outreach sessions, while Joanne Hutchinson said she had ordered waterproof sleeping bags.

Becky said the charity was doing what it could to help those affected, but warned that the pressure on small organisations was becoming increasingly difficult to manage. She said the concern is that people leaving prison should have a genuine opportunity to start again, rather than finding themselves back on the streets with few options and little support.

Becky said the charity had managed to arrange assessments for potential bedsits for some of those it had met, while providing food and clothing to help them through the immediate crisis but it was a small drop in the ocean to the wider scale problem.

To help support Becky and the Homeless Street Angels team in providing vital support to those in need, find out how to donate and contribute to their Amazon Wishlist via the charity’s website, here.