tory mp calls for foreign offenders to be deported free now and never miss the top politics stories again subscribe invalid email sign up fornow and never miss the top politics stories again when you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. our privacy notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. you can unsubscribe at any time. data released by the ministry of justice in response to a freedom of information request showed that 4,024 eu nationals languished in prisons in england and wales in 2017. nearly 1,400 were serious offenders including violent thugs and sex offenders serving sentences of more than four years. and more than half were serving jail terms of more than a year. foreign prisoners – including 911 poles and 607 romanians – added to the intense strain on the over-stretched prison system, with most jails already full. getty there were 4,024 eu nationals in prisons in england and wales in 2017 getty stock nearly 1,400 eu nationals in prisons were serious offenders in 2017 foreign criminals in our prisons represent a huge cost to the british taxpayer jayne adye - director of get britain out the figures were released amid growing concern about an upsurge in violent crime across the country. critics tonight urged the government to step up efforts to deport foreign offenders on conviction to serve their sentences in their own countries. the figures were released in response to a request from get britain out, a cross-party pressure group campaigning for a full break with brussels after the uk leaves the eu next year. jayne adye, director of get britain out, said: “foreign criminals in our prisons represent a huge cost to the british taxpayer, at a time when we have huge domestic priorities. getty critics have urged the government to step up efforts to deport foreign offenders “any eu national who uses freedom of movement rights to come to the uk must abide by our laws and contribute to society. “it is clear, given the longevity of many of these sentences, a worryingly high number of the offences committed were of a severe nature. “the public rightly expect foreign criminals to be deported back to their own country once convicted, rather than being kept in british prisons at our expense. “it is a disgrace that eu rules often weaken the uk government’s ability to deport these criminals. this is a clear example of eu membership working against the public interest. “the fact many eu citizens are able to enter the uk despite having prior convictions is incredibly worrying. “it is vital to ensure the safety of the public and vigorous checks must be carried out on all eu nationals entering the united kingdom. “after brexit, and during the implementation period, the government must ensure there are stringent new controls on eu immigration to prevent potential criminals entering britain in the first place, as well as speeding up the process of deportation once convicted.” the world's most notorious prisons fri, june 17, 2016 rival gangs share cells, inmates and police clash, here are the most dangerous prisons in the world. play slideshow getty images 1 of 30 ms-13 gang members languish in one of the three 'gang cages' in el salvador tory mp philip hollobone said: “most of the eu nationals in uk prisons are from eastern europe. “the facts demonstrate that, with the accession of eastern european countries into the eu, we effectively imported a wave of crime which is why these people are clogging up our jails.” a ministry of justice spokeswoman said: “we are absolutely committed to removing foreign national offenders and 6,300 were removed in the last financial year. “there are several mechanisms used to remove these prisoners from the uk; some are deported at the end of their sentence and others are sent home via transfer agreements with other countries.” officials insist that 41,000 foreign prisoners including eu nationals have been removed from jails in england and wales since 2010. the most notorious killers and rapists allowed into britain national pictures/met police viktors dembovskis and andrezej kunowski viktors dembovskis, 54, raped and stabbed to death jeshma raithatha, 17, as she walked home from school in greenford, west london, in 2005. the latvian, who was given a whole-life term, was allowed to settle in britain despite being twice convicted of knifepoint sex attacks. andrezej kunowski, 62, was branded one of the most dangerous sex offenders in britain after he was jailed for life for the murder of 12-year-old katerina koneva in 1997. he fled to britain from poland after committing 17 rapes, eight attempted rapes and one attempted murder. he died in 2009. pa/swns petros anthia and gheorghe mihai
milwaukee now fourth poorest city in nation