Prison population hits new high

There were 81,681 prisoners - including 375 being held in police stations - beating the previous high by more than 130.

After a slight drop-off over Christmas and New Year, it was the third week in a row to see an increase of more than 400 inmates.

If the same rise is repeated next week, the jails will be completely full with numbers passing the current 82,027 capacity, even though a new jail in Merseyside was opened by the Government just seven days ago.

Director of the Prison Reform Trust, Juliet Lyon, said: "The record high prison population for England and Wales has been fuelled in recent weeks by a sharp increase in the numbers of remand and short term prisoners.

"Despite opening a new prison this week and extra cell blocks wherever space allowed, Government attempts to build its way out of this crisis have failed.

"In recent weeks, the prison population is growing at a rate which even building a new medium-sized prison every week would not match."

She added: "The managed release of low-risk offenders will, as it has under previous Governments, provide a useful temporary safety valve.

"It is, however, no substitute for proper planning which recognises the limitations of imprisonment and provides for substantial investment in community solutions to crime."

The new total was up 417 on last Friday, and beat the last record of 81,547 set in November.