Jail population hits new high

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The record was up 174 on a previous high set just three weeks ago.

It means the jails are just 481 places away from their absolute capacity.

It included 415 prisoners being housed in police stations and 24 in court cells.

Director of the Prison Reform Trust, Juliet Lyon, said: "Forget rehabilitation - imprisonment is now reduced to a dangerous game of musical cells.

"Prison after prison is reaching its safe operating limit so people are being decanted into unsuitable court and prison cells.

"In some cases, they are stacked up in escort vans reeking of urine. This is no way to run a criminal justice system."

It came on the day it was revealed that prisoners were paid £2.5 million in compensation by the Prison Service last year.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act showed offenders in 94 jails were compensated over claims of abuse, assault, unlawful detention and medical negligence.

The biggest single out-of-court payment was one for £575,000 to a male prisoner in Northallerton young offenders' institution who had apparently attempted suicide, while Wormwood Scrubs in west London settled another claim for £472,000. The figures also showed £750,000 was paid to 197 heroin addicts who had their treatment withdrawn or cut short during their time in prison.