‘One in, one out’ measures as riots push overcrowded jails close to breaking point

Far-right riots have pushed Britain’s prisons to breaking point as the government triggers emergency measures to ease overcrowding. Experts fear hard-won capacity gained by releasing prisoners early has “rapidly evaporated” after at least 677 suspected rioters were charged following widespread disorder.

- AMY-CLARE MARTIN, ARCHIE MITCHELL

In Merseyside – where clashes first erupted following the killing of three schoolgirls last month – there were rumoured to be just two prison spaces left at the weekend after rioters were hauled before the courts in fast-tracked hearings. It is the latest crisis to hit the creaking criminal justice system.

Stuart Nolan, chair of the criminal law committee at the Law Society, said the riots were the “straw that broke the camel’s back”. “When you have got a chronic situation all you need is an acute issue and the whole thing starts to be a little bit troubling,” he told The Independent.

At least 460 people had appeared in magistrates’ courts in relation to the disorder by late last week. Nationwide, there were only 340 places left in the male estate after 397 new receptions, chair of the Prison Officers’ Association, Mark Fairhurst, said.

Operation Early Dawn, triggered yesterday in parts of the north including Merseyside, has been described as a “one in, one out” policy which will see defendants held in police cells and not summoned to magistrates’ court until a space in prison is available.

It is feared the move could see suspects released on police bail if prison spaces cannot be found, although ministers insist no one who poses a risk to the public will be freed. The prime minister admitted his government was making “difficult decisions” after weeks of violent disorder placed “additional strain” on the overloaded prison system it inherited from the Tories.