Magistrates ‘asked to stop jailing criminals’ for several weeks to ease pressure on prisons – UK politics live
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Magistrates have been asked to stop jailing criminals for several weeks in an attempt to ease pressure on Britain’s overcrowded prisons, according to reports.
The Times reported that Lord Justice Nicholas Green, who sits on the court of appeal, has issued a “listing direction” to the managers of magistrates’ courts in England and Wales saying that offenders who are on bail and likely to be jailed should have their sentencing hearings postponed until at least 10 September.
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said the guidelines did not apply to high-risk offenders who were already on remand.
“Every delay in magistrates’ work adversely affects the timely delivery of justice and impacts victims, witnesses and defendants,” Tom Franklin, chief executive of the Magistrates Association, told The Times.
He said Green’s direction was “the latest sticking plaster to try to get through until the big release of prisoners on 10 September but just highlights the crisis that the justice system is in”.
There were already plans in place, from 10 September, for thousands of prisoners to start being released 40% of the way through their sentence as part of emergency measures announced last month.
Pressure on prisons increased with riots across England – that broke out after the fatal stabbing of three young girls in Southport – which led to more than 1,000 arrests. We will bring you reaction to the Times report throughout the day.
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NHS workers are being urged to accept a 5.5% pay increase offer from the Scottish government, a rise in line with that proposed in England. Unite, one of a number of trade unions which represent NHS staff in Scotland, is to ballot its members on the offer, but is recommending they accept.
It is Yohannes Lowe here with you today. Please do email me on yohannes.lowe@theguardian.com if you spot any typos or omissions.