Impact of riots will be felt for ‘years’, justice secretary warns

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Impact of riots will be felt for ‘years’, justice secretary warns

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Rising to the challenge of swiftly punishing rioters will make it ******* for the government to rebuild the justice system, a minister has said.

Writing in the Observer, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the impact of the days of disorder, fuelled by online disinformation following the Southport *******, would be “felt for months and years to come”.

Her comments come as the director of public prosecutions said some rioters could be jailed for up to 10 years, with cases carrying more serious charges to come through the system in the coming days.

Stephen Parkinson told the Sunday Times the charges were not about “exacting revenge” but “delivering justice”.

Ms Mahmood praised prosecutors and the judiciary for ensuring “swift and true” justice, but said “rising to this challenge has been made *******” due to the system “we inherited from the Conservatives”, citing crown court backlogs and prisons “close to overflowing”.

Shortly after Labour’s election victory in July,

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the government had no choice but to release some prisoners early to avoid a “total collapse” of the prison system.

“The impact of these days of disorder will be felt for months and years to come. They make the job of rebuilding the justice system *******,” she wrote in

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,

It also offers a “sobering reminder”, she said, of “how much worse things might have been” had Labour not acted to address the crisis.

Ms Mahmood renewed a warning to those who have participated in the unrest.

“If you stoke *****, or take part in *********, the full force of the law will be brought against you. Justice will be done,” she wrote.

Despite the ********* having eased in recent days, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has delayed a family holiday to continue to focus on the government’s response.

On Thursday, he said there was “no doubt” rapid sentencing had “acted as a deterrent” to prevent further unrest that had been expected last Wednesday, but told an emergency Cobra meeting police would remain on high alert.

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More than 700 rioters have been charged over the violent disorder so far

Director of public prosecutions Mr Parkinson told

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that many more people involved in the riots will be charged in the coming days.

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in connection with the rioting, with 349 of those charged.

Mr Parkinson said prosecutors were now considering cases relating to rioting, a serious offence which carries a possible ten-year prison term.

Many of those sentenced so far have been prosecuted for violent disorder, a lesser charge carrying a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

“As well as seeing a more significant number of charges coming through the system in the next few days, [the cases are] going to include more serious charges with stiffer penalties,” Mr Parkinson said.

“We warned of the consequences and we will deliver those consequences.”

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Mr Parkinson says more cases against rioters will come next week

Violent disorder in *** towns and cities began after three young ****** were ******* in a ****** ******* at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport on 29 July.

The rioting over the course of the subsequent week included attacks on hotels housing asylum seekers, and was fuelled by a

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that the suspect was a ******* asylum seeker.

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of watching helplessly as rioters damaged and looted their shops during the unrest.

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Rallies against racism have been held in towns and cities across the country

And business secretary has urged the Association of British Insurers (ABI) to swiftly resolve claims made by businesses damaged by rioters.

In a letter to Hannah Gurga, director general of the ABI, Jonathan Reynolds wrote: “The barbaric action is likely to have led to thousands of pounds of damage to shop fronts and stock, while the people who keep our high streets alive have experienced outright racism.”

Welcoming the insurance industry’s willingness to support its customers, Mr Reynolds said businesses’ claims must be resolved to ensure they “do not suffer additional delay in reopening and continuing to serve their local communities”.

“It is important that those who seek to divide us do not succeed by pushing out the businesses that bring us together as a community,” he said.

The ********* had largely calmed by Wednesday 7 August, when

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took to the streets across the ***.

On Saturday, thousands again gathered for demonstrations organisers said were intended to be a “peaceful response to ******* ********* of recent days”.

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