Misuse of PNC led to release of killer, says report

Administrative errors led to Anthony Joseph being released while a warrant for his arrest still existed

Richard Whelan was killed after Johnson threw chips at passengers on a bus

Lack of sufficient guidelines for the use of the police national computer (PNC) was a contributing factor to the accidental release of Anthony Joseph, who killed a man on the day he was released, according to a Crown Prosecution Service report.

Joseph was released from prison despite a warrant having been issued for his arrest, and stabbed Richard Whelan later that day.

Joseph slipped through police and prison systems after incorrect updating of Surrey police's systems "contributed to the lack of awareness by other authorities of the defendant’s status and to the chain of events that led to the defendant being released," says the report.

Surrey police did not update their systems because inputting all court adjudications was deemed too time consuming, though this was not an official policy.

In April 2007 Surrey Police entered into a multi-agency agreement with the other criminal justice agencies in Surrey to tighten their procedures with regard to the updating of the PNC with results of court hearings.

The report also recommends that the Home Office launch a study into the feasibility of giving prisons access to the PNC.

Last month Computing revealed that another system to track offenders through the prison and probation service after their conviction would be scaled down and delivered more than two years late.