Crowded prisons 'could leave dangerous suspects on streets'

THE prison overcrowding crisis could stop police from taking dangerous suspects off the streets if the shortage of jail places worsens over the coming weeks, Sir Mark Rowley has warned.

- Martin Bentham

The Met Commissioner said his officers would continue trying to arrest people and have them remanded in custody when necessary to protect the public. But he said he was he was "worried" that a likely deterioration in the prison overcrowding crisis will lead to a situation where it was no longer possible "to keep pushing things into the system if the system completely jams".

"A couple of weeks ago nationally we had quite a blip in prison over capacity which caused some disruption but was generally manageable. If, as I understand is likely, we head towards that becoming a sustained picture over the coming weeks, I am worried about the effect that will have," Sir Mark said.