Carr could be free 'in days'

Maxine Carr could walk free within days after being recommended for early release from her three-and-a half-year jail sentence.

The government's chief of prisons and probation is now considering whether to uphold a prison governor's go-ahead for the move.

The former fiancée of Soham murderer Ian Huntley applied to be let out before her scheduled release date of 17 May under an electronic-tagging scheme.

Today it was revealed the governor of Holloway prison, Ed Willetts, has decided she is eligible for the scheme.

But his decision is now being reviewed by Martin Narey, head of the Home Office's National Offender Management Services.

Mr Narey was given emergency powers last month to overrule prison governors in cases where early release would "undermine public confidence" in the system.

He will decide within days whether to give the final go-ahead to Carr's release.

Carr, who was convicted of lying to police and giving Huntley a false alibi for the murders of 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, has a secret address in her home town of Grimsby to which she has applied to return. Probation officers have already carried out a successful assessment of whether it could be fitted with the equipment which makes the electronic tag scheme work.

Prison sources have described Carr as a "model inmate" who has made friends with other women at the north London jail despite initially being branded "Myra Hindley mark II".

If her freedom bid is turned down by Mr Narey, Carr's legal team are certain to seek a judicial review of his decision. Prison service lawyers have already warned the Home Office boss that would almost certainly lose a judicial review.

A source said: "If the governor has recommended her for early release the judge would be bound to uphold that. Whatever you think about Maxine Carr her case meets all the criteria for early release under home detention curfew.

"In fact the whole system could have been specifically designed for someone like Carr."

A successful judicial review would be an embarrassment for Mr Narey and especially for his boss, Home Secretary David Blunkett.

Mr Blunkett authorised the emergency powers in the hope that they would ensure Carr would serve the longest possible part of her jail term.

Carr's freedom would be the second blow in two weeks to the families of the dead girls. They were told they would receive just £11,000 each in compensation for the loss of their daughters.