Criminals who should be in prison are being held at Essex police stations because of overcrowding.
Three custody areas around the county in Colchester, Rayleigh and Loughton are being used to hold convicts and people on remand.
An Essex Police spokesman confirmed that an average 36 prisoners a day are at the three police stations: ten in Colchester, 20 in Rayleigh and six in Loughton.
But he said the emergency measures are not affecting policing as only off-duty officers are used to guard them.
The spokesman said: "Essex Police has been accommodating remand prisoners and inmates on behalf of the prison service due to overcrowding in prisons.
"It is expected to continue until we hear from the Prison Service that it's no longer required."
He said that if any of the custody suites became full, prisoners would be taken to other police stations to be held.
Published Friday November 1, 2002
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