Wolves hooligans jailed for up to 16 months just three weeks ago will be home for Christmas - because their cells are needed by the crisis-hit prison service. The football thugs, who were jailed for a total of 11 years, are believed to have been given prison release dates of November, December and January.
In the week when the full extent of the prisons fiasco was uncovered, it is understood most if not all of the gang will be let out early - but will be forced to wear electronic tags.
The drastic step, condemned today by city leaders in Wolverhampton, is being taken because of a chronic shortage in cells.
There are only around 11 spaces left in the region’s prisons and West Midlands Police today revealed it is set to give over 32 of its cells to house inmates as an emergency measure.
All but one of the 15 hooligans were jailed at Southwark Crown Court on September 22 and were banned from all football matches for six years.
They had travelled to London for a football match but decided instead to stay in Leicester Square, where they took part in a “shocking” and “terrifying” mass riot, punching and kicking their way through crowds of tourists and families.
The early release and tagging of prisoners was criticised this week after it was revealed inmates let out under the system committed over 1,000 violent crimes.
West Midlands Police spokesman Richard Bolton said staffing to cover the housing of inmates in police station cells will be on an overtime basis to avoid any shortages.
Senior West Midlands Police officers were believed to be angry at the news today.
One senior source at the force’s Lloyd House headquarters said: “It is ridiculous. To us, it’s just ‘here we go again’. We’re used to it now. But the public will be fed up with it now.”
Exclusive by Crime Correspondent Mike Woods
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