A convicted murderer in England went untagged for over two months after claiming he could not wear an ankle monitor because of his "swollen" legs—just one example in a damning investigation revealing serious failures in the UK's offender tagging system.
Electronic monitoring of released offenders in England and Wales, intended to ensure public safety, has been riddled with delays and dysfunction, as reported by The Times. In 2023, Serco took over the £51 million contract, or about $67 million, from Capita to oversee the Electronic Monitoring Service, but internal complaints and a lack of proper training for staff quickly raised red flags.
The issue became even more pressing following the government's early release scheme aimed at easing prison overcrowding, which increased the number of people needing tags.
Undercover reporting by Channel 4's Dispatches exposed severe flaws in the tagging system, from wrong addresses and missing training to offenders gaming the system. Among the most shocking revelations was that John Potter, a murderer convicted in 2007 and previously caught escaping an open prison in 2018, avoided wearing a tag for at least two months by citing a medical exemption.
Potter failed to provide proof, yet tagging was postponed. Officials from Serco claimed it was not their role to challenge medical claims, while the Probation Service failed to act. During this time, Potter was not at home when officers visited—yet this didn't trigger an immediate breach of license.
As public concern mounts, Serco and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) are facing heavy scrutiny. Potter's supervision has since increased, including more frequent visits, a move to staffed housing, and substance abuse support.
The MoJ has acknowledged Serco's underperformance and imposed penalties, while ministers have met with company leaders to demand rapid improvement.
