Dangerous offenders who are electronically tagged while awaiting trial will receive shorter prison terms following a secret move by the Government.

Labour has been accused of cynicism after Justice Secretary Jack Straw slipped the change through Parliament last week by adding a clause to the new Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill.

It means the number of hours offenders, including thieves and drug dealers, are forced to spend at home under curfew will be deducted from their eventual sentence.

Last night the Conservatives dubbed the scheme a "get out of jail free" card and said it was a desperate bid to slash the prison population.

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Shadow Justice Minister Edward Garnier said: "The Government has made a mockery of parliamentary democracy by ramming ill-considered new criminal justice laws through the House of Commons without a vote.

"I fail to see how time spent at home drinking and taking drugs can be classed as incarceration."

Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Herbert said: "Far from being tough on crime and on the causes of crime, Jack Straw is giving criminals a break."

Over the past ten years, the Government has been forced into emergency measures, including releasing thousands of inmates early, to cope with overflowing jails.

Last night, however, the prison population stood close to capacity at 79,976.

Now, in a further bid to keep numbers down, the Government has introduced the amendment forcing judges to deduct from future sentences the time an offender spends tagged on bail.

Full article here.