New figures reveal extent of overcrowding at HMP Doncaster as more rioters are jailed

The figures from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) show that on August 30, 2024 - almost four weeks on from the violent disorder in the Manvers area of Rotherham on August 4 - there were just three available spaces at HMP Doncaster.

The prison has a total capacity of 1,165, and at the relevant time, 1,162 were occupied.

It is the first set of prison population data to be released in the wake of the Rotherham riots, following which Home Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned the ‘utterly appalling’ behaviour of those responsible, and said South Yorkshire Police ‘have full government support for the strongest action against those responsible’.

The riots broke out at the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers Way, Rotherham, after hundreds of anti-immigration protesters arrived at the hotel, where asylum seekers were being housed. 

An update issued by South Yorkshire Police today (Tuesday, September 17, 2024) revealed that a total of 87 people have now been charged in connection with the riots, 65 of whom have pleaded guilty, and have thus been convicted, for their roles in the disorder.

Of those 65, a total of 49 have been sentenced, with virtually all adult defendants receiving a prison term of two years or more.

The previous set of prison population figures, taken on July 26, 2024 - nine days before the riots - showed there were eight spaces available at the prison, which is the closest to Sheffield Crown Court.

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The prosecution of those involved with the other summer riots, which took place in a number of locations across the country after misinformation was disseminated in the wake of a fatal stabbing in Southport that claimed the lives of three young girls, have also been coming through the court system at an acclerated rate.

It comes as official figures released earlier this month showed the prison population reached 88,521 - the highest ever level since the MoJ began publishing weekly figures in 2011; and the chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor said the Government ‘had no choice but to do something’ about overcrowding.

In an effort to tackle the overcrowding, the Government confirmed that 1,700 inmates would be released early - after serving 40 per cent of their sentence, instead of the normal 50 per cent.

The first of those 1,700 prisoners were released last week, on September 10, with pictures and videos of criminals celebrating as they were freed at prisons across the country - including HMP Doncaster were shared widely.

The Government has said the early release scheme will not apply to those convicted of sex offences, terrorism, domestic abuse or some violent offences.

Commenting on the early-release scheme, Andrea Coomber KC, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said prisons and probation needed to be completely reset after she described the ‘woeful education and training’ for inmates and squalor, self-harm, drugs, violence and unmet mental health needs, all in the midst of severe overcrowding.

Meanwhile, the Prison Reform Trust said prisoners are being ‘warehoused’ and need to be spending time in education, training and work rather than ‘sharing an overcrowded cell for 23 hours a day’.

Pia Sinha , chief executive of the charity, said: "We cannot continue to warehouse people in these conditions and expect that things will be better when they're released."