Recalled criminals to serve just 28 days under measures to free up 1,400 prison cells

Recalled prisoners will be released after 28 days under emergency measures to free up 1,400 prison places, the justice secretary has announced.

- AMY-CLARE MARTIN

Shabana Mahmood warned Britain’s prisons are at 99 per cent capacity and the UK is due to run out of places in five months, which would result in the “total breakdown of law and order”.

Unveiling fresh measures to reduce the soaring inmate population recalled to custody for breaching their licence conditions, she said offenders serving sentences of between one and four years will only be returned to prison for a fixed, 28-day period.

This includes those recalled for further crimes, apart from those who commit a serious offence. Certain sexual offenders, violent criminals and serious domestic abusers will also be excluded, as they are already subject to enhanced risk management with police, prisons and probation services.

Ms Mahmood also announced the Ministry of Justice had received treasury funding of £4.7bn for three new prisons as part of a “record prison expansion”.

The cash will see officials break ground on a site near HMP Gartree in Leicestershire later this year, while plans are underway for new prisons near HMP Grendon, in Buckinghamshire, and HMP Garth, in Lancashire. Other cells will also be added at existing prisons.

However, she admitted we “cannot build our way out of this crisis”, adding the prison population is increasing by 3,000 each year – the equivalent of two entire prisons.