Why was he ever freed? Early release murderer's previous victim condemns Labour 'soft justice' scheme after thug stabbed ex to death days after he was let out

A thug who murdered his ex days after being freed from prison by Labour should never have been released early, one of his previous victims said.

Robert Sabat was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 17 years before he can be considered for release at the Old Bailey last week, having stabbed mother-of-two Dickiesha Nurse to death in her own home.

Sabat, 60, struck within days of being released from HMP Wandsworth having served just 40 per cent – fewer than 150 days – of his one-year sentence for harassment and knife offences.

The court heard Sabat was initially jailed after he turned up at another former partner's home, brandishing two knives, smashing a plant pot and shouting through the door, despite desperate pleas for him to leave. Police had to use pepper spray to restrain him.

The former partner last night accused Labour of failing to protect women.

Speaking from her home in south-west London, she told the Mail: 'It is an absolute mockery that someone with such a history of violence was able to be released from prison early.

'I do not believe the seriousness of his behaviour was given the weight it deserved, and I cannot ignore the devastating consequences that have followed.

'A woman has lost her life, families have been destroyed, and those of us who have experienced his behaviour are left living with the consequences.

'This is about accountability, protecting women and the public, and making sure no other family has to experience what we have.

'No one should have to wait for another life to be lost before the danger is taken seriously.'

The Old Bailey heard how Sabat moved into the home of former partner Ms Nurse immediately after being freed, and dismissed her pleas to go away.

He stabbed her to death and waited for days with her decomposing body until emergency services carried out a welfare check after family members raised the alarm.

He then told armed police he murdered others before.

Chillingly, he made similar brags to his former partner, who asked not to be named for her own safety.

She said: 'This is not simply a history of controlling and threatening behaviour towards women - it is a disturbing history of violence towards other people, regardless of who they are.

'In my experience, he is manipulative, controlling and threatening, and I believe there is a serious danger in the pattern of behaviour he has demonstrated.'

The woman said she continues to be traumatised by her experiences with Sabat.

She said: 'I believe the system failed me, and I believe it failed the woman who has now lost her life.

'I cannot help but wonder whether things could have been different if the seriousness of his behaviour and the danger he posed had been recognised and acted upon.'

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: 'We are determined to always have the prison places needed to keep dangerous offenders locked up.

'That is why we're building thousands more prison places and tagging offenders at record levels to track and manage those in the community.'

The Probation Service is conducting an internal review into what went on.

Labour's initial early release scheme saw prisoners let out after serving 40 per cent of their fixed-term sentences in custody, rather than half.

Tens of thousands of convicted criminals have been released early under the scheme to date, designed to relieve pressure on the overcrowded prison estate.

Some even praised Prime Minister Andy Burnham as they left prison during the latest wave earlier this month.