Impact of far-right riots to be felt for months and years to come,

The impact of the far-right riots seen across the UK could be felt for “months and years to come”, the justice secretary has warned.

Shabana Mahmood made the remarks in a piece for The Observer as courts have been working extended hours to deal with rioters who were charged by police during the disorder.

Far-right violence broke out in towns and cities across the UK in the wake of a stabbing attack that left three girls dead in Southport on Monday 29 July.

False rumours were circulated online claiming the suspect was an asylum seeker who arrived in the UK by boat.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said on Saturday that a total of 779 people have been arrested over the riots.

Of those, 349 have been charged.

Ms Mahmood said: “The justice system has shown it can rise to this challenge. Should further criminality and disorder ensue, we will continue to deliver justice, until the last offender languishes in one of our jails.

“But we must make no mistake. Rising to this challenge has been made harder by doing so within the justice system we inherited from the Conservatives.”

Ms Mahmood said there are “record Crown Court backlogs” and prisons are “close to overflowing”.

“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 harder,” she added.

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