NEARLY £50million of taxpayer cash was spent last year putting lags in police cells because jails were too crammed.
Ministers have been accused of presiding over “a prison system in total chaos” where offenders are even being let out early to make space.
AlamyAlmost £50million of taxpayer cash was spent putting lags in police cells due to prison overcrowding last year[/caption]
Police cells were used as overflow sites 1,492 times last year at a total of £49,913,088, according to Ministry of Justice data.
Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “Taxpayers will be horrified to learn that this Tory Government have been forced to spend almost £50million to house prisoners in police cells due to their incompetence.
“This is yet another symptom of a prison system in total chaos: rapists are avoiding jail for disgusting crimes, prisons are rat-infested, and drugs are rife.”
The prison estate is currently running at around 99 per cent capacity, putting a massive strain on space.
Yesterday it emerged that a temporary scheme where prisoners are released early will be extended indefinitely in a desperate bid for space.
And figures revealed that a specialist prison riot squad was sent into jails the equivalent of more than twice a day last year.
Often referred to as the SAS of the jail system, the National Tactical Response Group was deployed 794 times – an increase of nearly 40 per cent on 2022.
Last October it was reported that convicts would be housed in temporary cells or receive soft sentences because prisons were at breaking point.
Justice Secretary Alex Chalk was expected to say he is resorting to the plan after shock figures showed that fewer than 600 prison places were available.
It was revealed judges had already been told to delay the sentencing of offenders on bail.
It sparked concerns that there was a delay in convicted rapists and burglars being sent to jail.
In a statement to Parliament, Mr Chalk was expected to announce that more offenders will be electronically tagged and monitored rather than locked up.
Judges were also expected to be told to dish out more community orders rather than custodial sentences.
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