Prisoners released after human rights ruling

The Prison Service is to overhaul its system for punishing unruly and disruptive prisoners after being forced to release hundreds of inmates earlier than expected.

The early releases, which began last week, were ordered after the European Court of Human Rights ruled it was illegal for prison governors to punish disruptive inmates by increasing their sentences.

Up to 900 inmates given between one and 42 extra days in jail for disciplinary offences are now likely to be released, including some of the system's most troublesome inmates.

The Prison Service expects to receive multi-million pound compensation claims after the ruling on 15 July, which followed complaints by two prisoners serving life and a 12-year term respectively for violent offences.

The court said it was a breach of human rights for governors to act as judge and jury in disciplinary hearings, where prisoners are also refused legal representation.

Prison Service executives are determined to continue using increased sentences as a punishment, claiming they are a necessary deterrent.

They are now considering setting up an independent tribunal or disciplinary body to hear cases involving the worst offenders. Governors are also to discuss introducing new disciplinary rules as a stop-gap measure. These are likely to include extending the removal of privileges such as television rights.