NEW Will Andy Burnham mess with Shabana Mahmood’s plans for police force mergers? She wants to “significantly” reduce the number from 43 - but that might clash with Burnham’s favoured mayoral model. My thoughts for the Institute for Government : www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/mahm...

Mahmood and Burnham brace for the next police force merger row | Institute for Government

Has unrest in Dover and Portsmouth made the case for merging smaller police forces?

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

NEW Will Andy Burnham mess with Shabana Mahmood’s plans for police force mergers? She wants to “significantly” reduce the number from 43 - but that might clash with Burnham’s favoured mayoral model. My thoughts for the Institute for Government : www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/mahm...

Mahmood and Burnham brace for the next police force merger row | Institute for Government

Has unrest in Dover and Portsmouth made the case for merging smaller police forces?

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

NEW As Govt prepares to free thousands of prisoners early I’ve discovered over 4,000 prison places are unused - due to damage, safety concerns or delayed repairs.. ...and in 28 jails capacity has been set at LESS than usable places - staff shortages a factor: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09...

NEW As Govt prepares to free thousands of prisoners early I’ve discovered over 4,000 prison places are unused - due to damage, safety concerns or delayed repairs.. ...and in 28 jails capacity has been set at LESS than usable places - staff shortages a factor: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09...

NEW It's rare for journalists to have access to a young offender institution...but I was allowed to visit Parc YOI in south Wales, the highly-rated G4S-run prison for 15 to 18-year-olds. They're doing good work with the country's most dangerous teenage boys: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09...

NEW It's rare for journalists to have access to a young offender institution...but I was allowed to visit Parc YOI in south Wales, the highly-rated G4S-run prison for 15 to 18-year-olds. They're doing good work with the country's most dangerous teenage boys: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09...

What happened when 2,500 drug dealers & criminals were locked up after encrypted EncroChat phones were hacked by law enforcement? Sure - Op Venetic - National Crime Agency investigation - was hugely successful - but what impact did it have on the ‘war on drugs’? www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

File on 4 Investigates - After EncroChat - BBC Sounds

The EncroChat hack was a huge law enforcement weapon against drugs. But has it worked?

bbc.co.uk

NEW Over 2,500 people have been convicted under Operation Venetic after gangsters’ encrypted EncroChat phones were hacked by law enforcement. Estimated criminal justice & prison costs: £500m+. Is it worth it? I’ve been looking into this for File on 4 Investigates - BBCSounds & Radio 4.

NEW Murders in prisons are at record levels - and so are the number of lifers with little or no prospect of release. Controlling dangerous life sentence prisoners is another dimension of the acute prison capacity crisis. My latest for the Telegraph:

NEW How can Govt get out of early-release controversy? There are roughly 470 people serving SDS (fixed term) jail sentences for manslaughter who qualify for early release (Estimates from Telegraph expert Ben Butcher). Among them are two of Pc Andrew Harper's killers, Jessie Cole & Albert Bowers...

NEW Merging police forces across England & Wales will cost £2 billion up-front. That's the figure given by GMP Chief Sir Stephen Watson... Also, new details about plans for the National Police Service - and who will lead it. My thoughts … free to read! www.dannyshaw.net/post/what-wa...

What Watson has to say

Who is going to be the most influential figure in policing?Shabana Mahmood would like to appoint the head of the new National Police Service by Christmas, I’m told, though adverts have yet to go out. ...

dannyshaw.net

NEW Over 70,000 prisoners have been released early under SDS40 - the Govt's emergency scheme to free up prison space. New Minstry of Justice figures for Sept 24 - Mar 26 show almost 10,000 were serving sentences of 4 years or more. Under SDS40, release was at 40% of the sentence, instead of 50%.

BREAKING David Lammy resigns from the Government. It means we are about to have the 12th Justice Secretary in 11 years... ...after Grayling, Gove, Truss, Lidington, Gauke, Buckland, Raab (twice), Lewis, Chalk, Mahmood and Lammy ... Not great for the criminal justice system.

NEW Early release of sex offenders...curbing jury trials... police force mergers... tougher rules for migrants... ending the use of asylum hotels... 5 key issues facing Andy Burnham as he becomes PM: My latest - no subscription needed, free to read: www.dannyshaw.net/post/crime-a...

Crime and Immigration: 5 Burning Questions

When Andy Burnham becomes Prime Minister, he will face tough decisions in every area of domestic policy. Here are five key questions the MP for Makerfield will have to find answers to on crime, polici...

dannyshaw.net

Not getting the coverage it should: Attorney General Lord Hermer & Crown Prosecution Service scolded by Lady Carr, the most senior judge, over Fordingbridge rape case. CPS failed to correct shocking mistakes in press release which led to misreporting. Hermer mixed politics with his legal role...

NEW Andy Burnham has 6 weeks to act before sex offenders & domestic abusers begin to be freed early from prison under new sentencing laws. My latest on that - and the other policing & immigration challenges he faces as the UK's new Prime Minister: www.dannyshaw.net/post/crime-a...

Crime and Immigration: 5 Burning Questions

When Andy Burnham becomes Prime Minister, he will face tough decisions in every area of domestic policy. Here are five key questions the MP for Makerfield will have to find answers to on crime, polici...

dannyshaw.net

NEW Andy Burnham has 6 weeks to act before sex offenders & domestic abusers begin to be freed early from prison under new sentencing laws. My latest on that - and the other policing & immigration challenges he faces as the UK's new Prime Minister: www.dannyshaw.net/post/crime-a...

Crime and Immigration: 5 Burning Questions

When Andy Burnham becomes Prime Minister, he will face tough decisions in every area of domestic policy. Here are five key questions the MP for Makerfield will have to find answers to on crime, polici...

dannyshaw.net

NEW Early release of sex offenders...curbing jury trials... police force mergers... tougher rules for migrants... ending the use of asylum hotels... 5 key issues facing Andy Burnham as he becomes PM: My latest - no subscription needed, free to read: www.dannyshaw.net/post/crime-a...

Crime and Immigration: 5 Burning Questions

When Andy Burnham becomes Prime Minister, he will face tough decisions in every area of domestic policy. Here are five key questions the MP for Makerfield will have to find answers to on crime, polici...

dannyshaw.net

NEW Former Home Secretary Amber Rudd to lead Govt review to “root out” violence, Illicit drugs and organised crime in prisons.. My questions are Why and Why Now? We’ve had 5 major prison reviews in 3 years (Bristow, Gauke, Owens, Hall, Owers), Justice Committee inquiry & countless inspections…

NEW How should the Home Office & government ministers respond to the murder of Henry Nowak amid claims of 'two-tier policing'? Here's what I've written for the independent think-tank, the Institute for Government. It's free to read: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/gove...

How government should respond to the killing of Henry Nowak | Institute for Government

Henry Nowak's murder must lead to considered and targeted government action.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

NEW How should the Home Office & government ministers respond to the murder of Henry Nowak amid claims of 'two-tier policing'? Here's what I've written for the independent think-tank, the Institute for Government. It's free to read: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/gove...

How government should respond to the killing of Henry Nowak | Institute for Government

Henry Nowak's murder must lead to considered and targeted government action.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

NEW Rape victims no longer have to surrender phones to police. New technology - from UK firm Kulpa - enables victims & witnesses to send digital material - messages, photos, emails - to police in a format that can be used as evidence in court. 3 forces using it: www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/954069a...

Rape victims will no longer have to surrender phones to police

App sends digital evidence direct to detectives in move that boosts convictions and speeds up judicial process

telegraph.co.uk

NEW Police mergers are on the way. There'll be "fewer, larger" forces in England & Wales - under legislation announced in King's Speech. Govt says in every force there will be "Local Policing Areas" headed by a senior officer. Also confirms creation of National Police Service...

NEW After Golders Green, five things that need to happen: 1. Fast-track this case & the other recent antisemitic attacks through the courts (just as riot cases were) to deter others & send a strong signal.

NEW After Golders Green, five things that need to happen: 1. Fast-track this case & the other recent antisemitic attacks through the courts (just as riot cases were) to deter others & send a strong signal.

NEW Cannabis farms and crypto mining are behind a surge in electricity theft... ...an estimated £1.5 billion, from revenue losses & investigation costs, is passed onto UK consumers every year - that's at least £50 per household... And it's set to get worse. www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/04...

NEW Mistaken release of jailed asylum seeker Hadush Kebatu was partly caused by confusion over 3 letters: 'ERS', says Dame Lynne Owens review. ERS stands for 'Early removal scheme', under which Kebatu was being deported AND 'Early release scheme', which did not apply to him...

NEW Three of the country's most respected judicial figures give their verdict on the Government's jury reforms. Their views may surprise you. My blog, free to read, no paywall, no subscription: www.dannyshaw.net/post/jury-re...

Jury reforms: three judges give their verdict

Before I come to the judges, a word about Geoffrey Robertson.This week, the eminent KC had his say on the government's proposals to restrict the use of jury trials to cut backlogs in the Crown Courts:...

dannyshaw.net

NEW Three of the country's most respected judicial figures give their verdict on the Government's jury reforms. Their views may surprise you. My blog, free to read, no paywall, no subscription: www.dannyshaw.net/post/jury-re...

Jury reforms: three judges give their verdict

Before I come to the judges, a word about Geoffrey Robertson.This week, the eminent KC had his say on the government's proposals to restrict the use of jury trials to cut backlogs in the Crown Courts:...

dannyshaw.net

NEW Southport Inquiry findings: Axel Rudakubana's attack "could and should have been prevented". Retired judge Sir Adrian Fulford said "some form of grave violence had been clearly & unambiguously signposted over many years" with multiple "missed opportunities". AR was not mentally ill...