Free to kill: At least 21 men released on bail went on to attack women

At least 21 men were left free to kill women after being released on bail over the course of a three-year period, figures have revealed.

Campaigners have said “the system isn’t fit for purpose” and called for more to be done to protect women and girls after the shocking figures were uncovered.

Sobering data from the Femicide Census showed the horrifying death toll for UK women whose killers were released on bail between 2020 and 2022.

At least six of those men had been arrested on suspicion of offences against women before going on to kill their accusers, The Independent understands.

The research shows that a further. The career criminal was released from the high-security HMP Belmarsh – where he was serving time for carrying a weapon, criminal damage, and racially aggravated public order offences – just nine days before Aleena’s murder.