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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Resignation adds to Reid pressure | Resignation adds to Reid pressure |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Pressure on home secretary John Reid has increased after it emerged the head of the Youth Justice Board (YJB), Professor Rod Morgan, has quit. | Pressure on home secretary John Reid has increased after it emerged the head of the Youth Justice Board (YJB), Professor Rod Morgan, has quit. |
| Prof Morgan attacked Labour's young offenders policy and said children's prisons were being "swamped". | Prof Morgan attacked Labour's young offenders policy and said children's prisons were being "swamped". |
| Mr Reid is already under fire on prison overcrowding after a man who downloaded child pornography was spared jail. | Mr Reid is already under fire on prison overcrowding after a man who downloaded child pornography was spared jail. |
| The judge in the case said he had to follow Mr Reid's call to avoid jailing all but the most serious offenders. | The judge in the case said he had to follow Mr Reid's call to avoid jailing all but the most serious offenders. |
| In an exclusive interview given to BBC Two's Newsnight, Prof Morgan, said youth courts and children's prisons are being "swamped" with minor offenders who are "cluttering up" the system. | |
| 'Swamping' | 'Swamping' |
| Echoing the crisis with adult prisoner places, he told Newsnight "we're standing on the brink of a prisons crisis. We have tonight lots of people in police cells because there is no space for them in custody and that's true for children and young people also. | Echoing the crisis with adult prisoner places, he told Newsnight "we're standing on the brink of a prisons crisis. We have tonight lots of people in police cells because there is no space for them in custody and that's true for children and young people also. |
| "I regard a 26% increase in the number of children and young people that are being drawn into the system in the past three years as swamping", he said. | "I regard a 26% increase in the number of children and young people that are being drawn into the system in the past three years as swamping", he said. |
| Prof Morgan became Chair of the Youth Justice Board in April 2004. | Prof Morgan became Chair of the Youth Justice Board in April 2004. |
| He was formerly HM Chief Inspector of Probation for England and Wales, a post he took up in August 2001. | He was formerly HM Chief Inspector of Probation for England and Wales, a post he took up in August 2001. |
| Porn sentence | |
| Mr Morgan's resignation follows opposition attacks on the home secretary over a child pornography case. | |
| Derek Williams, 46, of Blaenau Ffestiniog, told the BBC he was "lucky to be out" but added: "You cannot blame the judge for what he has done. His hands are tied. He was only doing his job." | |
| His six-month term of imprisonment was suspended for two years. | His six-month term of imprisonment was suspended for two years. |
| Mold Crown Court heard Williams had downloaded dozens of pornographic images of children on to his computer. | Mold Crown Court heard Williams had downloaded dozens of pornographic images of children on to his computer. |
| He pleaded guilty to 10 charges of making indecent photographs between November 2005 and May last year. | He pleaded guilty to 10 charges of making indecent photographs between November 2005 and May last year. |
| In sentencing Judge John Rogers QC said he had to bear in mind "the current sentencing climate". | In sentencing Judge John Rogers QC said he had to bear in mind "the current sentencing climate". |
| This week, Mr Reid and other Cabinet ministers wrote to judges and magistrates asking them to imprison only the most dangerous and persistent criminals. | This week, Mr Reid and other Cabinet ministers wrote to judges and magistrates asking them to imprison only the most dangerous and persistent criminals. |
| Prison ships | Prison ships |
| And on Thursday Mr Reid announced the latest emergency measures to deal with the prison crisis. | And on Thursday Mr Reid announced the latest emergency measures to deal with the prison crisis. |
| Jails in England and Wales are at bursting point, with about 80,000 inmates. | Jails in England and Wales are at bursting point, with about 80,000 inmates. |
| Mr Reid revealed an RAF camp in the north of England is to be used to house convicts, and he is also in negotiations over the purchase of two prison ships. | Mr Reid revealed an RAF camp in the north of England is to be used to house convicts, and he is also in negotiations over the purchase of two prison ships. |
| Construction has also started on prefabricated units to go into a prison in Merseyside. | Construction has also started on prefabricated units to go into a prison in Merseyside. |
| The Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, said the letter to judges was not intended to change sentencing principles, but to set out the current context. | The Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, said the letter to judges was not intended to change sentencing principles, but to set out the current context. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Overcrowded and full prisons are indicative of a rapidly increasing crime rate Gordon, Southampton Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY Overcrowded and full prisons are indicative of a rapidly increasing crime rate Gordon, Southampton Send us your comments |
| Lord Falconer said the judges were not being put under pressure to alleviate prison over-crowding. | Lord Falconer said the judges were not being put under pressure to alleviate prison over-crowding. |
| "It is our problem....We are not for one moment saying that it is a problem for judges to solve. We are all doing our bit in the system to help in the current circumstances." | "It is our problem....We are not for one moment saying that it is a problem for judges to solve. We are all doing our bit in the system to help in the current circumstances." |
| 'Public confidence' | 'Public confidence' |
| Shadow home secretary David Davis said of the sentencing: "We now have a situation where sentences are being dictated by the prison capacity and not the severity of the crime. | Shadow home secretary David Davis said of the sentencing: "We now have a situation where sentences are being dictated by the prison capacity and not the severity of the crime. |
| "It looks like the consequences of the government's failure to address the lack of prison places is coming home to roost." | "It looks like the consequences of the government's failure to address the lack of prison places is coming home to roost." |
| Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg said: "This is the inevitable domino effect of a government lurching about in blind panic trying to solve a prison overcrowding crisis of its own making." | |