UK Activates Operation Early Dawn to Tackle Prison Overcrowding Amid Riot Sentences

Aug 19, 2024, 06:19 AM

The UK government has activated emergency measures to address prison overcrowding in the wake of recent riots, which followed the Southport knife attacks. The measures, known as Operation Early Dawn, involve holding defendants in police cells until prison space becomes available. This move comes as courts rapidly sentence hundreds of individuals involved in the riots, exacerbating the existing strain on the prison system. The emergency plan is particularly focused on northern England, where the pressure on jails is most acute. The Ministry of Justice has implemented these measures to prevent further overcrowding as more rioters receive jail sentences.