Tougher parole laws are on the cards, according to National Security Minister Michael Dunkley.

Mr Dunkley tabled new legislation yesterday to allow police to arrest people suspected of breaching parole conditions on the spot.

Previously, officers had to obtain a warrant first.

Mr Dunkley said: “This means they can be taken in right away.”

He added that the change came after talks with the Parole Board, who requested the change.

The Criminal Code Amendment (No. 2) Bill said: “The Bill further amends the principal Act to provide that the failure to comply with conditions or special conditions of parole by a person released on licence is an offence and the person who commits such an offence may be arrested by a police officer.”

The Parole Board would also get the power to specify special conditions for anyone released from prison on licence.

A new section to the original law also allows the Parole Board to recall anyone who fails to comply with release conditions.

The Bill added: “The section further provides that the arrest of a person for failing to comply with the conditions or special conditions of his parole shall be treated as a recall of that person to prison ...”

And it said that, under other sections of the law, anyone recalled can appear in front of the Parole Board before a final decision on the recall is made.

The Bill states: “Where a person released on licence is arrested ... for committing an offence separate from this parole conditions, his arrest shall not be treated as a recall but shall be dealt with in accordance with the normal procedure for a person charged with an offence as set out in the Criminal Code 1907.”