Hundreds of court hearings have been postponed due to a worsening prison crisis. The Government has triggered emergency measures under Operation Early Dawn, causing defendants to remain in police custody instead of being transferred to magistrates' courts for bail hearings. This contingency allows defendants to be held in police cells until prison beds are available, leading to last-minute delays and adjournments. Justice officials have not confirmed the number of affected cases but emphasised the measures aim to limit disruption. Labour criticised the government for 'stalling justice' and leaving victims in limbo. Legal bodies expressed concern about the real-life consequences of these delays. The government blamed prison capacity issues on backlogs from the pandemic and the 2022 barrister’s strike. However, prisons watchdog Charlie Taylor called the situation 'entirely predictable,' and legal representatives described the scenario as 'administrative carnage.' The Magistrates’ Association and other legal experts have urged the government to provide more resources in the justice system to prevent further delays and inefficiencies. The emergency measures are expected to last a week.