Emergency powers have been enacted to mitigate the issue of prison overcrowding as a result of the increased number of individuals sentenced following recent riots in Bolton, Manchester, and other regions. This temporary measure aims to alleviate the strain on the prison system, which has long faced capacity challenges.

In light of these developments, the Ministry of Justice has reactivated Operation Early Dawn, a strategy designed to hold defendants in police cells rather than summoning them to magistrates’ courts until space becomes available in prisons. This operation was implemented on Monday morning and will affect areas including the North East, Yorkshire, Cumbria, Lancashire, as well as Manchester, Merseyside, and Cheshire.

Prisons and probation minister Lord Timpson stated that the current justice system has been inherited in a state of crisis and has been subjected to various challenges. He emphasized the necessity of these difficult measures to maintain operations, while also acknowledging the efforts of dedicated staff and partners to provide additional prison places.

The recent unrest has resulted in approximately 460 individuals facing charges related to the riots, with implications for court proceedings. Concerns have been raised by officials, including Tom Franklin of the Magistrates’ Association, regarding delays in court appearances for some defendants due to the inability of the Prison Service to guarantee custodial space.