Teen's killer freed early under UK prison scheme, family voices outrage

The family of a 13-year-old boy who died

The family of a 13-year-old boy who died after being struck by a hit-and-run driver expressed shock and grief on Wednesday after learning that the offender will be released from prison earlier than expected.

Harley Whiteman, the driver responsible for the fatal crash, had his sentence cut under the UK government's recently expanded early release program. The decision has drawn sharp criticism from the victim's relatives, who say the punishment no longer matches the severity of the crime.

In a statement, the boy's family described themselves as "utterly devastated" by the news, adding that the early release revives the trauma of their loss and undermines their faith in the justice system. They called on officials to reconsider the policy for cases involving child fatalities.

Whiteman, who had been serving time for causing

Whiteman, who had been serving time for causing death by dangerous driving, was initially sentenced to a term that his family and the public believed reflected the gravity of the offense. However, under the government's initiative to ease prison overcrowding, non-violent offenders have become eligible for reduced custody periods.

The Ministry of Justice defended the scheme, saying it is designed to rehabilitate offenders while managing the prison population responsibly. Yet critics argue that such measures fail to account for the long-term harm inflicted on victims' families.

Community members in the boy's hometown have also voiced anger, with some launching a petition to block the release. Local leaders have urged the government to review the criteria, insisting that cases involving the death of a child should be excluded from early release provisions.

As Whiteman prepares to leave custody, the family

As Whiteman prepares to leave custody, the family says they will continue to campaign for changes to the law, hoping to prevent other families from enduring the same anguish. Their grief, they add, is now compounded by a sense that justice has been cut short.