We fear for our lives after being told our abusive exes will be freed from jail early

Three women who have been told their abusive ex-partners will be released early from jail as part of controversial plans to free up prison space have said they fear for their safety.

Around 700 offenders will leave prison in England and Wales on Thursday under the government's early prisoner release plan - with a further 3,800 scheduled for release over the next year.

Ahead of the releases, victims have been sent letters informing them that their attackers will be let out early.

Claire Milne's ex-husband, Robert Dales, was convicted in March last year of coercive control and possessing offensive weapons, including samurai and ninja swords. He was sentenced to three years in prison.

"There was physical violence," said Milne. "There were threats to kill, there was punching of doors, punching of walls. I trod on egg shells throughout the entire relationship and it was almost like I had to coach myself into what to say just to ensure there wouldn't be an escalation."

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) recently told her Dales, 36, would be released early.

"I am scared that he will come after me. I don't want to die," she said. "I am not a silly woman - I know that I've been in a very high-risk domestic abuse relationship and I know what he's capable of because I lived it."

She said she was "incredibly angry" with the government, who were "not listening to victims".

It comes as prison staff have told the BBC they are increasingly having to put inmates in cells that are unsuitable because of the lack of space. They argue there is no choice but to release more prisoners as room is urgently needed.

Prisons across England and Wales are at 98% capacity, with the latest government figures showing there are just 1,134 spaces remaining in the adult male prison estate. The lowest figure of vacant beds this year.

Under the new scheme, inmates serving sentences of up to 19 months will be released after completing a third of their jail term. Most will have expected to spend 40% of their sentence behind bars - with the remainder served in the community.

The MoJ said that while domestic abuse had a "profound and lasting" impact on victims, the government was committed to keeping the most dangerous prisoners behind bars.

It said offenders jailed for rape, child sex abuse offences and manslaughter would stay in prison, but going further than that would risk the prison system collapsing.

An MoJ spokesperson said the government was investing £1bn in support services, including placing domestic abuse specialists in 999 call centres.

In April, former primary school teacher Christopher Haynes was sentenced to 21 months in prison after admitting to coercive control against his now ex-wife, who has also been notified of his early release.

Karen Haynes told the BBC she was distraught and said it was "a punch in the gut".

"We have fought so hard and we have had to use every inch of the system to get justice," she continued. "I just find it devastating that somebody [who] can admit all of that can be released after only doing seven months of a custodial sentence."

She has been told her ex-husband will now be released in November.

"He always made Christmas so hard," said Karen. "We were constantly scared, we wanted one Christmas without him and without us being frightened he will turn up - but it looks like we won't even get that now."

Another victim, Alice - not her real name - was subjected to domestic abuse. Her perpetrator is due to be released later this month. She has asked that we do not name her or her ex-partner because she is frightened of what he might do.

"I am terrified," she said. "I had only just started to feel safe and to process what I had gone through."

She said she felt like "the rug had been pulled out from underneath me".

From 13 October, governors will release a second tranche of 650 prisoners who have been serving sentences of between 19 months and two years and five months. Inmates will be released in nine tranches until June next year.

Those serving longer sentences - including more dangerous criminals - will not become eligible for the scheme until next year. They had previously expected to spend two thirds of their sentence behind bars, but instead will complete half of their term in prison before spending the rest of their punishment in the community on licence.

Dame Nicole Jacobs, the domestic abuse commissioner for England and Wales, called the scheme "shameful" and said she's had "no assurance that the danger perpetrators pose has been properly considered and assessed with meaningful input from victims".

"Ultimately, we cannot ignore the fact that the early release scheme has caused untold damage to victims' confidence in the justice system," Dame Nicole added.

She said Prime Minister Andy Burnham "must take urgent steps to address this" and called on the probation service to be given "the resources it needs to safely manage more offenders in the community". She also called for additional funding for domestic abuse services to support victims.

A recent report raised serious concerns about electronic tagging, which can be used to monitor offenders' movements in the community. It found almost half of tags were not fitted on time.

Alice told the BBC she had been looking to buy a doorbell with a camera fitted to help make her feel safer, but said she cannot afford one. "I don't feel prepared in the slightest and I don't feel safe," she added.

"I think the early release scheme is a joke to victims and survivors, who spent years preparing for trial, going through evidence and re-traumatising themselves to go to court, just for the perpetrator of their crimes to be released after just 33% of their sentence".

The MoJ said: "Anyone who is released faces the toughest-ever controls on their movements, including world-first restriction zones and the largest expansion of electronic tagging, with victims having a say in their perpetrators' licence conditions."