'My partner's killer should not be up for release'

A man whose pregnant partner was killed in a 92 mph motorway crash said he is devastated to hear the offender will be eligible for early release from prison.

Calvin Buckley's partner Frankie Jules-Hough, a 38-year-old mum-of-two and former Hollyoaks actress, was killed in a crash on the M66 in 2023, by Adil Iqbal.

It was earlier confirmed that driving offenders will not be blocked from the early release scheme, which will see thousands of prisoners in England and Wales effectively having their sentences commuted.

"I'm devastated," Buckley told BBC Breakfast. "To kill somebody and to have your sentence reduced is just not right. Our justice has been taken away."

Iqbal had filmed himself speeding at 123mph before the crash and was jailed for 15 years.

"I understand there is a crisis, I agree that it needs to be addressed, but not at the expense of victims," Buckley continued.

"Our life was about the children, building a future together.

"She was 17 weeks pregnant when she died.

"We've had that taken away.

"Any offender of that category who has caused catastrophic injuries or death by dangerous driving there is no way they should be up for early release."

Andy Burnham inherited the early release scheme after succeeding Sir Keir Starmer as UK prime minister.

• The early release scheme was introduced after prisons almost reached full capacity in 2024, prompting emergency releases, with 38,042 prisoners released from September 2024 to June 2025.

• In a bid to stop this, The Sentencing Act 2026 was passed in January, it meant offenders serving standard fixed sentences, who were due to be released after 50% of their term, would leave jail after serving 33%.

• Serious sexual and violent offenders on fixed terms, who would have been released at 66% of that sentence, would be released after 50%.

• The scheme was initially put on hold by Burnham for review on 23 July.

• The government announced on Monday that prisoners who committed rape, grooming, and serious child sex offences will be excluded.

The revision however, means that the early release scheme will still apply for prisoners convicted of other crimes, such as dangerous driving.

Buckley said he was "quite shocked and disappointed really" following the news.

"The fact that he [Iqbal] could be released is something I wasn't prepared for and not what I was hoping to hear at all," he said.

Iqbal undertook a motorbike then swerved and hit a crash barrier before ploughing into Frankie's Skoda Fabia at an estimated 92mph, Manchester Minshull street Crown Court heard in July 2023.

Frankie was killed, and serious injury was caused to to her son, aged nine, and nephew, aged four who had also been in the car.

Iqbal was jailed for 12 years for causing the death of Frankie Jules-Hough by dangerous driving.

Court of Appeal judges said that term was unduly lenient and increased Iqbal's sentence to 15 years.

But after the passing of The Sentencing Act, Buckley said he received a letter in June informing him that Iqbal may be released early.

"I did thought people that had caused death by dangerous driving, serious offences like that, would be excluded from it," Buckley said of the scheme.

"For me it is another example of road victims not being treated he same as other offences," he said.

"This wasn't just somebody who caused an accident, he was driving at excessively high speeds over 120 mph with no regard for anybody's safety at all.

"How is an offence of that seriousness not being treated like that?"

Buckley said the fact that Iqbal is eligible for re-release, meant he may serve less time than he would have done had his sentence not have been extended by the Court of Appeal.

"We've fought for a tougher sentence.

"What is the point of having an actual sentence if the government can just reduce that?'"

Buckley said he was told Iqbal would serve a minimum of two-thirds, or eight years, of his 12 year sentence.

However, under the early release scheme, Iqbal could be eligible to serve 50% of his current 15 year sentence, or seven-and-a-half years.

"He could actually serve less time than he originally was going to before we appealed."

He added: "We've been through all the trauma and the stress, still trying to heal from what has happened and then we find out that sentence doesn't actually mean anything.

"For me it is another example of road victims not being treated he same as other offences."

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.