Don't lock up lower-level offenders, Lib Dems cry

THE Liberal Democrats are preparing to call for thousands of criminals to be spared jail – despite dire warnings that early releases have risked more “serious offences” taking place.

- Jonathan Walker

Home Affairs spokesman Alistair Carmichael will tell activists that fewer people should be locked up because prisons are “overcrowded, understaffed and unable to properly rehabilitate offenders”.

Tomorrow Mr Carmichael will present a motion to the party’s annual conference in Brighton, calling for “a presumption against short sentences of 12 months”.

It would mean criminals currently given sentences of a year or less are instead given “rehabilitation in the community”.

There are 3,043 inmates serving sentences of 12 months or less at the moment.

Crimes that earn shorter sentences include shoplifting, common assault, assault of an emergency worker or possessing a knife.