Courts to postpone some verdicts

The judiciary has asked the district courts to postpone the detention of some criminals in the coming weeks because prisons are experiencing unprecedented overcrowding.

The instruction to court chiefs comes at a time when officials are struggling daily to find cells for offenders ahead of a new release strategy in September.

In the order, a senior judge called on court managers to delay sentencing for some offenders who are likely to face a prison sentence but are currently free on bail.

Official figures show that the number of prison beds in England and Wales has fallen to the point where there are only a few available in each facility.

As of Friday morning, there were 88,234 people in prison. The number of inmates had increased by 738 in the last two weeks, leaving about 1,100 beds free.

Many of the new inmates are either convicted rioters or suspects who are in custody pending trial for their alleged involvement in disarray which took place across England and Northern Ireland in late July and early August.

The instruction sent to magistrates' court heads on Wednesday came from Lord Justice Green, a senior judge responsible for court workloads.

He urged local officials to carefully consider how they schedule cases before the Justice Department hearing. plan further early releaseswhich is due to come into force on 10 September.

The judge wrote that local court leaders should review all cases scheduled for sentencing through September 6 in which the defendant is currently free on bail. If a prison sentence is possible, consideration should be given to rescheduling the hearing as soon as possible, but no earlier than September 10.

“The following order comes in the context of the current challenges in our prisons,” the judge wrote.

“Each case must be examined individually and decisions must be made based on the interests of justice. It follows that this must be a careful process.”

The wording of the order does not constitute a blanket order to postpone sentencing for every offender facing a prison sentence – and it only applies to those facing a prison sentence of six months or less – but it is the second emergency measure within a week to address the crisis in prisons.

On Monday, the government In northern England and most parts of the Midlands, police hold newly charged suspects in police cells until prison space becomes available.

Starting September 10, some offenders will be released on parole after serving 40 percent of their sentence. This plan is designed to free up several thousand cells, but it is no longer clear whether that will be enough as so many more offenders and suspects are added in connection with the unrest.

Tom Franklin, chairman of the judges' association, called the order to local courts “another Band-Aid.”

“While this latest emergency measure may be necessary to address prison overcrowding pending the mass release of prisoners on September 10, it also demonstrates the need for more resources at every stage of the justice process,” he said.

“We also need a mature discussion about the purpose of prison and also about other types of punishment, such as community sentences.”