Cabinet minister says justice system will feel impact of riots for years as rioters warned they risk 10 years in jail

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The impact of the appalling scenes on the country’s streets will be felt in the criminal justice system “for months and years”, a cabinet minister has warned. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the riots would set back Labour’s plans to fix the system, already struggling with a huge backlog of court cases and overcrowding in prisons. “They also offer a sobering reminder of how much worse things might have been had this Government not acted fast, a few weeks ago, to address the crisis in our criminal justice system before it was too late.” open image in gallery Police are braced for another night of violence, with concerns raised about the safety of immigration law specialists. open image in gallery Stephen Parkinson, the Director of Public Prosecutions On Friday former attorney general during the 2011 riots warned the recent far-right violence should be a wake-up call for the country’s broken justice system.