Emergency measures to ease overcrowding in prisons in England have been activated by the government.
The temporary measures aim to help ease the pressure on prisons, with the plans triggered in parts of the north of England on Monday morning.Operation 'Early Dawn' - the name given to long-standing prison contingency measure - allows defendants to be held in police cells until prison beds become available.It was previously activated by the Conservative government in May of this year after overcrowding risked rioting in UK prisons.
The measures could mean riot-related court dates are delayed or adjourned at short notice.It comes as Mark Fairhurst, the national chairman of the Prison Officers' Association , said the measure risks "clogging up police cells".
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