Newly published figures show that 773 people in prison were held beyond their release dates over the past ten years, amounting to total compensation payouts of £3.4 million. Over the last twelve months alone, 74 prisoners were held beyond their release date, for which a record £626,605 was paid in compensation. (The sum is normally calculated at £110 for each day someone is wrongly incarcerated.)

Charlie Taylor, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, believes the problem is caused by the loss of experienced staff in offender management units and by the complexity of the ever-changing early release schemes introduced by successive governments.

Mr Taylor added that a recent inspection of HMP Pentonville revealed that 130 prisoners had been held past their release dates – but that the overwhelming majority of those wrongly detained did not bother to submit claims for compensation.

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