Operation Early Dawn
Daily Mirror, The Morning Star, Independent, Gazette, Yahoo UK, MSN UK, Northern Echo, Hampshire Chronicle, Oxford Mail, South Wales Argus and more than 135 other regional papers cover our reaction to Operation Early Dawn, as the emergency measure is activated to mitigate the prison overcrowding crisis.
President Nick Emmerson said: “The emergency in our prisons illustrates the consequences of the long-term neglect of the criminal justice system.
“The prisons crisis is just one of many connected problems in the criminal justice system following decades of underfunding and cuts. We have seen growing backlogs in the Magistrates and Crown Courts, a shortage of lawyers, judges and court staff and a crumbling court estate. Probation services are still on their knees.
“Government is having to take difficult steps to deal with the crisis it inherited, such as reactivating Operation Early Dawn, which will impact victims, defendants and those working in the system including solicitors.
“In the longer-term, sustained investment is needed across the criminal justice system in order to avoid it collapsing completely.”
Independent also provides an explainer of what Operation Early Dawn is.
Vice president Richard Atkinson spoke to Sky News (live from 15:45) about Operation Early Dawn coming into force today.
Chair of our criminal law committee, Stuart Nolan, spoke to LBC News (live from 13:20) about Operation Early Dawn.
LBC News, Heart London and four other broadcast outlets report on the impact on the criminal justice system as rioters continue to be sentenced.
Sentencing for rioters
David McNeill, director of public affairs spoke to Channel 4 News (from 06:27) about the sentencing of rioters and its impact on prison overcrowding and court delays.
IBA News also covers the targeting of the legal profession by riots and social unrest in the UK.
David McNeill said: “They took it really seriously and very likely saved the lives of many of our members.
“These solicitors and advice centres were targeted because they provide immigration law advice and representation to asylum seekers – no other reason than that.”
“One of the lessons for us is these attacks on lawyers start small. They start with what looks like a grumpy, headline-seeking politician making a cheap jibe, but they can turn into something very nasty, very quickly. Other jurisdictions should be wary of this lesson.”
Intellectual property
Giles Parsons, member of our intellectual property law committee, spoke to Guardian about employee rights with intellectual property.
Also worth a read:
- Comment: Swift justice is essential for victims and the public – Times (£)
- Prison crowding emergency measures a ‘sticking plaster’, Starmer told – Guardian
- How ‘sentencing inflation’ fuelled England’s prisons crisis – Financial Times (£)
- Nearly 2,000 prisoners to be released on single day – Telegraph (£)
- Secret court hearings are unfair and in need of reform, says former chief justice – Telegraph (£)
- SRA imposes controls on firm employee who assaulted colleagues – Legal Futures
- Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) calls on Government ministers to meet with victims of the cavity wall insulation scandal following SSB Law's collapse – Burnley Express
- Ban on out-of-hours contact will end ‘presenteeism’, say ministers – Times (£)
- Turning point for infected blood victims – Solicitors Journal