BRITAIN’s far-right riots will haunt the justice system for “months and years,” the Justice Secretary has declared.
Shabana Mahmood yesterday warned the recent disorder will derail efforts to fix the overwhelmed justice system – already burdened by court backlogs and overcrowded prisons.
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The Cabinet Minister praised the Ministry of Justice for “bringing rapid charges against thugs and hooligans”.
But writing in the Observer, she added: “The impact of these days of disorder will be felt for months and years to come.
“They make the job of rebuilding the justice system harder.
“They also offer a sobering reminder of how much worse things might have been had this Government not acted fast, a few weeks ago, to address the crisis in our criminal justice system before it was too late.”
More than 500 prison places have been made available to ensure space for those being sentenced by the courts.
It comes after the Justice Secretary last month announced plans to release some inmates early to free up prison space, blaming the last Conservative government for leaving prisons too full.
Police have so far arrested 779 people in connection with rioting, with 349 of those charged, according to the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).