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Emergency measures activated to ease prison overcrowding as more rioters convicted

The government has taken emergency measures to avoid prison overcrowding as more rioters are due to be sentenced this week for their role in the violent unrest.

The activation of Operation Early Dawn – a long-standing plan that allows defendants to be held in police cells and only summoned to the district court when a place in prison becomes available – is intended to help manage short-term capacity pressures in prisons in some areas, the Ministry of Justice said on Monday.

The temporary measure comes after hundreds of people were jailed in northern England in recent weeks following far-right unrest, and capacity has long been insufficient. Britain's prisons have been at critical levels for several years, often operating at less than one percent of capacity.

This means defendants awaiting court in the north of England will be held in police cells until prison space becomes available. The measure will be implemented in the North East and Yorkshire, Cumbria and Lancashire, and the Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire regions.

Lord Timpson, Minister for Prisons and Probation, said: “We have inherited a justice system that is in crisis and facing shocks. That is why we are being forced to make difficult but necessary decisions to keep it running.”

“However, thanks to the hard work of our dedicated staff and partners, we have been able to create additional places in prisons and are now launching Operation Early Dawn to address the pressures being felt in some parts of the country.”

Nev Kemp, Deputy Chief Constable and Head of Detention at the National Police Chiefs' Council, said: “We are working closely with partners in the criminal justice system to manage the demand on the system and keep the public safe.”

“The police will continue to arrest anyone they need to arrest to ensure public safety, including policing protests and events. They will make sure people are arrested as expected.”

Following the riots that broke out across England after three young girls were stabbed to death in Southport on July 29, a total of 460 people appeared before magistrates' courts in connection with the riots by the end of Thursday.

Operation Early Dawn was launched by the Conservative government in May to combat prison overcrowding.

Last month, the Ministry of Justice said violence and self-harm in prisons had reached “unacceptable” levels, with prisons on the “brink of collapse” due to overcrowding.

Justice Minister Shabana Mahmood announced plans to reduce the proportion of prison sentences that prisoners must serve behind bars from 50 percent to 40 percent.

This temporary move – which does not apply to people convicted of sexual offences, terrorism, domestic violence or certain violent crimes – is expected to lead to the release of 5,500 offenders in September and October.

This is a breaking news story, more to follow…

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