Terrorism in Britain: Courts OFFICIALLY blasted for being too soft on terrorists

He gave the potential example of someone returning to the country who cannot be placed on trial but may be an appropriate candidate for a Tpim.

“I don’t see the prospect of very large numbers of returning UK citizens but we are told that there may be some,” he said.

“And that’s where, alongside the power to prosecute, the power to place individuals on Tpims should be considered.”

Around 850 UK-linked individuals “of national security concern” are believed to have travelled to take part in the Syrian conflict, with just under half thought to have returned.

Mr Hill emphasised that a UK citizen who returns from Syria after committing criminal acts should face prosecution.

But he added: “In cases which may come to light of individuals who travel to Syria out of naivety or brainwashing and are desperate to return to their friends and families in this country in a state of great disillusionment after their time in Syria – it doesn’t follow that in every case those individuals must be prosecuted or that there must be any mandatory process against them.”

The barrister, who started in the role three weeks before the Westminster attack in March, said it was “terrible in every sense of the word” that plots had “got through”.

But he pointed to the disruption of six plots since Westminster, saying security services’ success rate “must never be forgotten”.

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