More than 5,000 foreign criminals who should have been deported remain in the UK, including almost 4,000 who are free on the streets, figures show.
The UK Border Agency (UKBA) must reduce the number of its decisions which are overturned, mainly because of human rights claims, and end the cycle of appeals which bump up the cost to the taxpayer but still fail to see the offender deported, inspectors said.
But the warning comes after Home Secretary Theresa May said she wants to change the rules which prevent foreign inmates from being deported once they have served their prison sentence because it would breach their human rights.
The real problem lay with the way the British courts interpreted the law, she said, adding that the right to a family life was not "absolute" and could not be allowed to "drive a coach and horses through our immigration system".
John Vine, the independent chief inspector of the UKBA, said the number of foreign criminals who are not deported or cannot be deported at the end of their sentence, was increasing. "More must be done to actively manage these cases - they represent a growing cost to the taxpayer and cannot be ignored," he said.
Inspectors found a total of 3,775 former foreign national prisoners who should have been deported had been released from custody and were living in the community.
More than 1,600 others remained in detention, having completed their prison sentence. A further 12 are missing after either being released directly from court or referred incorrectly, he said.
The report found "significant disparity" between the UKBA's and the courts' interpretation of whether a foreign prisoner should be able to remain in the UK on human rights grounds.
A total of 425 cases had been overturned, "the overwhelming majority on human rights grounds", compared with just 151 cases in which the offenders had been granted permission to stay in the first instance. In all, a third of the appeals against deportation lodged by foreign prisoners in the 12 months to February were successful, the figures showed.
Foreign prisoners were also being held for longer, up to 190 days in January from 143 days in February 2010, and one in four who were held after the end of their jail term had been detained for longer than a year.
More than 5,000 foreign criminals who should have been deported remain in the UK, including almost 4,000 who are free on the streets, figures show.
The UK Border Agency (UKBA) must reduce the number of its decisions which are overturned, mainly because of human rights claims, and end the cycle of appeals which bump up the cost to the taxpayer but still fail to see the offender deported, inspectors said.
But the warning comes after Home Secretary Theresa May said she wants to change the rules which prevent foreign inmates from being deported once they have served their prison sentence because it would breach their human rights.
The real problem lay with the way the British courts interpreted the law, she said, adding that the right to a family life was not "absolute" and could not be allowed to "drive a coach and horses through our immigration system".
John Vine, the independent chief inspector of the UKBA, said the number of foreign criminals who are not deported or cannot be deported at the end of their sentence, was increasing. "More must be done to actively manage these cases - they represent a growing cost to the taxpayer and cannot be ignored," he said.
Inspectors found a total of 3,775 former foreign national prisoners who should have been deported had been released from custody and were living in the community.
More than 1,600 others remained in detention, having completed their prison sentence. A further 12 are missing after either being released directly from court or referred incorrectly, he said.
The report found "significant disparity" between the UKBA's and the courts' interpretation of whether a foreign prisoner should be able to remain in the UK on human rights grounds.
A total of 425 cases had been overturned, "the overwhelming majority on human rights grounds", compared with just 151 cases in which the offenders had been granted permission to stay in the first instance. In all, a third of the appeals against deportation lodged by foreign prisoners in the 12 months to February were successful, the figures showed.
Foreign prisoners were also being held for longer, up to 190 days in January from 143 days in February 2010, and one in four who were held after the end of their jail term had been detained for longer than a year.
St Paul's Cathedral could open its doors to the public on Friday, a week after it closed because of anti-capitalist protesters.
The cathedral's dean, the Rt Rev Graeme Knowles, said he was optimistic that the cathedral would reopen following changes to the layout of tents used by the demonstrators.
He said a final decision would be taken on whether to open in time for the Eucharist at 12.30pm on Friday.
He added that the cathedral was considering all its options in response to the protest, including legal action. However, clergy at the cathedral are said to be divided over what action to take.
According to reports, the chancellor, Canon Dr Giles Fraser, who has been sympathetic to the protest camp, is prepared to resign over differences in the handling of the demonstration.
On Wednesday, the Dean said in a statement: "The staff team here have been working flat out with the police, fire brigade and health and safety officers to try to ensure that we have confidence in the safety of our worshippers, visitors and staff which will allow us to reopen."
He said the galleries and dome would remain closed and discussions with the police and fire brigade would continue.
He added: "We will revisit the risk assessment in the light of any overnight developments and subject to us getting the green light we hope to reopen in time for the 1230 Eucharist on Friday to which everyone is welcome."
Tanya Paton, of Occupy London Stock Exchange, welcomed the news, saying: "It's tremendous that St Paul's have decided to reopen. We've have always wanted them to reopen and we've always been keen to resume dialogue with the Dean and Chapter."
The Dean's comments followed the City of London Corporation's announcement that it would meet to hear legal advice and decide whether to launch legal action to evict the protesters.
Up to 400 16 and 17-year-olds could be jailed every year for threatening people with knives under Kenneth Clarke's plans to extend mandatory custodial sentences, figures show.
The surprise moves come just a day after the Justice Secretary told MPs that judges should have discretion over sentencing, adding that mandatory sentences were not the British way and led to a game in which judges would look for any excuse not to hand down the set terms.
Estimates by Ministry of Justice officials showed between 200 and 400 teenagers aged 16 and 17 could be convicted of using a knife or offensive weapon to threaten and endanger every year.
Mr Clarke also plans to bring in mandatory life sentences for anyone convicted of a second very serious sexual or violent crime.
The jury in the Joanna Yeates murder trial are to begin a second day of deliberations.
Judge Mr Justice Field has urged the six men and six women trying her neighbour Vincent Tabak at Bristol Crown Court to reach a unanimous verdict.
The defendant, 33, denies murder but admits the manslaughter of the 25-year-old at her flat in Clifton, Bristol.
The judge said the jury needed to focus on what Tabak's intention was at the time the landscape architect died.
"Did he intend to kill her or cause her really serious harm?" he asked. "The fact that afterwards the defendant may have regretted what he had done does not amount to a defence.
"If having examined the evidence, and despite the defendant's denial, you are sure that when the defendant strangled Joanna Yeates he intended to kill her or cause her really serious bodily harm, your verdict will be guilty.
"If you are not sure of his intentions when he strangled Joanna Yeates your verdict should be not guilty."
The jurors "should not allow emotion" or sympathy towards Ms Yeates' family and boyfriend Greg Reardon to cloud their judgment when making their decision, Mr Justice Field said.
Landscape architect Miss Yeates was last alive on the evening of December 17 last year. She was reported missing two days later when her boyfriend returned to their ground floor flat in Canynge Road after a weekend away.
Police launched a massive hunt for the university graduate but her body was found by dog walkers on Christmas morning in a country lane in Failand, North Somerset - just three miles from her home. The net closed in on Tabak and he was arrested on January 20 when police matched his DNA to samples found on Miss Yeates's body and clothing.
Eurozone leaders have sealed a three-part deal which they hope will convince markets they have an effective response to the growing economic crisis.
Officials in Brussels said an accord had been reached with banks on a 50% write-off of Greek debt, and they also approved a complex mechanism to boost the eurozone's main bailout fund to 1 trillion euro (£880 billion).
It means that, coupled with an earlier decision to recapitalise vulnerable banks, the summit has delivered on the package it promised.
The FTSE 100 Index was 2% higher on news of the agreement, while stocks in France, Germany and across Asia also opened on the up.
After the summit, EU president Herman Van Rompuy said the deal would reduce Greece's debt to 120% of its GDP in 2020. He added that the eurozone and International Monetary Fund would give the country another 100 billion euro (£87 billion).
The 10 hours of talks began with a meeting of all 27 leaders, including Prime Minister David Cameron. After 90 meetings they had endorsed the first part of the deal - boosting the liquidity of the most exposed banks in Europe.
The recapitalisation scheme does not involve UK banks, but forces many European banks to increase their reserves by more than 100 billion euro. The money may have to come from national coffers - effectively taxpayers - if the banks cannot raise the obligatory extra money through private investors by a deadline of next July.
Then the 17 eurozone leaders settled in for tougher negotiations, finally convincing the banks to take a 50% "hit" on their Greek loans repayments.
The third element, increasing a 440 billion euro (£383 billion) bailout fund, proved toughest, and the result is most open to attack from critics, who may also point out that a Greek debt write-off of 60% was considered by many to be the minimum necessary.
After the summit, European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said the EU had delivered "a comprehensive response to the sovereign debt crisis". But he warned: "These are exceptional measures for exceptional times. Europe must never again find itself in this situation."
Former deputy prime minister Lord Prescott's private office spent hundreds of pounds of taxpayers' money in a casino in Australia, it has been disclosed.
Documents released by the Department for Communities and Local Government show a government credit card was used to spend £456 at the Star City casino, £490 at a seafood restaurant and £75 at an aquarium during a visit to Sydney in 2004.
The figures were revealed as ministers prepared for the release of details of spending on departmental Government Procurement Cards (GPCs) - charge cards used by staff to make small-scale purchases.
Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said more stringent controls on use of the cards - including a crackdown on first-class travel - had resulted in a £45 million reduction in the amount spent over the first year of the coalition Government.
And new restrictions limiting civil service bonuses to only the top 25% performers have reaped a further £15 million since April this year.
Lord Prescott told the Daily Telegraph he had never had a Government credit card and was surprised at the spending by his officials, but believed it must have been to cover food and drink during a visit to Australia to study the relaxation of casino licensing laws.
But housing minister Grant Shapps said it showed "a cavalier attitude to the public purse" under the Labour government. Under reforms introduced by the coalition, all transactions above £500 made on departmental GPCs from April this year will be made public.
Mr Maude said: "We inherited an unprecedented deficit and are doing all we can to address waste and increase scrutiny on Government expenditure.
"We need to be able show taxpayers that every penny we spend is being used efficiently and we must open up our books so people can see for themselves where their money is going. Transparent government is absolutely essential to restoring people's trust in the political system."
Serial killer Robert Black has been convicted of his fourth child murder.
The notorious Scottish paedophile was found guilty of kidnapping and murdering nine-year-old Jennifer Cardy in Northern Ireland 30 years ago.
The jury returned its verdict at Armagh Crown Court on Thursday on the second day of deliberation at the end of a high-profile five week trial.
The schoolgirl was snatched as she cycled to a friend's house in the quiet Co Antrim village of Ballinderry on August 12, 1981.
Her body was found six days later in a dam behind a roadside layby 15 miles away at Hillsborough, Co Down.
In 1994, Black was convicted of three unsolved child murders in the 1980s - 11-year-old Susan Maxwell, from the Scottish Borders, five-year-old Caroline Hogg, from Edinburgh, and Sarah Harper, 10, from Morley, near Leeds - and a failed abduction bid in Nottingham in 1988.
Black's killing was finally ended in 1990 when he was caught red-handed by police with a barely alive six-year-old girl hooded, bound, gagged and stuffed in a sleeping bag in the back of his van in the Scottish village of Stow. He had sexually assaulted her moments earlier.
Eurozone leaders have put the continent's economy on "the right road" with their agreement on measures to resolve the crisis in the single currency, Chancellor George Osborne has said.
He said the eurozone countries had made "very good progress" in talks which stretched into the early hours in Brussels, but cautioned that it is now necessary to keep momentum up and deliver precise details on how the three-part agreement will work.
And he insisted that Britain will not contribute money to the European Financial Stability Facility bailout fund or to any IMF package specifically targeted at the eurozone area.
Officials in Brussels said an accord had been reached with banks on a 50% write-off of Greek debt and they also approved a complex mechanism to boost the eurozone's main bailout fund to 1 trillion euro (£880 billion).
It means that, coupled with an earlier decision to recapitalise vulnerable banks, the summit has delivered on the package it promised.
Mr Osborne told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think they have made very good progress on the key issues they need to make progress on. I think they got a good agreement. Of course, we have now got to get the detail. There is still quite a lot of detail to fill in.
"The crucial thing is to maintain the momentum, to ensure that we don't see what happened in July when they agreed another package but then it took months to put it into practice.
"We have got to maintain the momentum to ensure we turn a good package into something that has actually got all the detail and is going to work in practice."
Mr Osborne added: "It is going to be a tough road ahead but they are on the right road and it is massively in the British national interest that they sort these problems out, because the instability in the eurozone is having a chilling effect on the British economy."
Repeat offenders committed more than 500,000 offences in a year, with more than half of these carried out by career criminals each with more than 25 previous offences, figures show.
These included some 3,400 serious violent or sexual offences, and a fifth of the offenders who returned to crime were juveniles, the latest figures for 2009 released by the Ministry of Justice reveal.
Other figures also published on Thursday show 134 dangerous criminals were charged with murder, rape or another serious offence in 2010/11, despite being monitored by the authorities.
It is the first time that the number of offences committed by offenders who have returned to crime, 510,000 in 2009, has been published.
More than 10,000 burglars went on to commit another 1,800 domestic burglaries within a year, and almost 3,000 thefts.
And more than 6,000 serious violent offenders went on to commit more than 650 violent offences, 48 of which were classed as serious.
The breakdown of figures also showed that more than 8,000 sex offenders, including more than 4,000 who abused children, went on to commit more than 1,200 further sex crimes, including 330 against children.
Of the 134 dangerous or sexual offenders charged with a serious further offence last year, 26 were managed with regular multi-agency public protection (Mapp) meetings, other figures show.
Three of these were assessed as posing the highest risk to the public and eight serious case reviews were ordered after the offenders went on to kill or rape, or tried to murder or rape, despite being monitored.
Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (Mappa) panels, which include police, councils and other Government agencies, were set up to manage the risks to the public from dangerous criminals after they leave prison.
Mandatory life sentences will be extended to crimes other than murder for the first time under plans set out by Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke.
Anyone convicted of a second very serious sexual or violent crime in England and Wales would get an automatic life term under a new "two strikes" system, despite Mr Clarke saying judges should have discretion over sentences.
He told MPs on Tuesday that mandatory sentences were not the British way and led to a game in which judges would look for any excuse not to hand down the set terms. Yet in the surprise announcement on Wednesday night, he also said the Government would extend mandatory jail terms for knife crimes to 16 and 17-year-olds for the first time.
The "two strikes" approach comes as Mr Clarke abolishes the indeterminate sentence for serious offences introduced under the previous Labour administration, which has seen around 6,000 offenders sent to jail without any fixed date for their release.
He said that around 20 people could expect to receive the new mandatory sentence aimed at those guilty of two sexual or violent offences each deserving 10 years or more in jail.
"They are people who, though they haven't committed murder, are pretty murderous," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "It is probably just the skill of the medical profession stopping them from being in for murder."
Judges would retain the discretion not to impose a mandatory sentence if it would be unjust to do so, he said, adding: "I find it difficult to imagine that anybody convicted of two such serious sexual and violent attacks wouldn't have been given life anyway."
Mr Clarke went on: "I am going in the direction of having more certain sentences, more justice and more room for the judgment of the judges, because I am getting rid of the so-called indeterminate sentences, which have failed."
Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said: "American-style mandatory sentencing may sound tough but it is neither effective nor intelligent and has driven some states close to bankruptcy. Subject to good sentencing guidelines, what's wrong with allowing the courts to make sure that the sentence fits the crime?"
Labour's shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan said the plan "does not address the problem of unreformed offenders who have completed their sentence being released to commit crime and inflict harm on the public".
The chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral has resigned from his post in a row over anti-capitalist protesters occupying the churchyard.
Canon Dr Giles Fraser's resignation has come after reports suggesting a rift between clergy over what action to take concerning the activists.
Cathedral officials said they are "disappointed" that Dr Fraser is leaving, and he had told colleagues of his decision.
The cathedral's dean, the Rt Rev Graeme Knowles, said on Wednesday that officials were considering all options in response to the protest, including legal action.
Dr Fraser, who has been sympathetic to the protest camp, said he was prepared to resign over differences in the handling of the demonstration, according to reports.
The former vicar of Putney, south-west London, has held the Crown-appointed post since June 2009.
Mr Knowles said: "Giles has brought a unique contribution to the life and ministry of St Paul's and we will be very sorry to see him go.
"He has developed the work of the St Paul's Institute and has raised the profile of our work in the City. We are obviously disappointed that he is not able to continue his work with chapter during these challenging days.
"We will miss his humour and humanity and wish Giles and his family every good wish into the future."
A spokeswoman for the cathedral added that the process to appoint Dr Fraser's successor will begin shortly.
Patients remain at risk of poor care in an NHS trust which has faced serious concerns after the deaths of two pregnant women, according to a report.
An investigation into Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRT) by health watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC) "identifies serious problems and places requirements on the Trust to deliver fundamental and wide-ranging improvements", said the CQC.
Its investigation into the King George and Queen's Hospital sites, at Ilford and Romford respectively, began in early July.
The CQC said that "despite some signs of improvement in recent months, patients remain at risk of poor care in this Trust".
It added: "While the most immediate concerns were around maternity services, failings were also identified in emergency care and in radiology. Widespread improvement is needed in patient flows, the management of complaints, staff recruitment and governance in order to improve patient experience."
The chief executive of the trust apologised last month for failings in the standard of care given to two women who died after using its maternity service.
Violet Stephens died in Queen's Hospital in April, after being admitted with pre-eclampsia, a potentially life-threatening condition in pregnant women. Channel 4 News said a report into her death uncovered a "succession of failures" in her care.
The serious untoward incident report found there was a failure to administer a blood transfusion as planned, a delay in making the decision to deliver her baby, and when she was found unresponsive with gasping breath, it took 25 minutes for a cardiac arrest call to be made, said the programme.
Tebussum Ali, known as Sareena, died with her newborn baby at the hospital in January.
The report into those deaths said hospital staff failed to spot the signs of a ruptured womb and then tried to resuscitate Ms Ali with a disconnected oxygen mask, according to Channel 4 News.
Jurors hearing the trial of two Pakistan cricketers accused of match-fixing have retired to begin considering their verdicts.
Former Test captain Salman Butt, 27, and fast bowler Mohammad Asif, 28, are alleged to have plotted to bowl deliberate no-balls in last summer's Lord's Test against England.
The pair were charged after an undercover reporter recorded sports agent Mazhar Majeed, 36, boasting of how he could arrange for Pakistan players to rig games for money, London's Southwark Crown Court heard.
Over three weeks of evidence, the jury of six men and six women has heard that there are huge sums to be made by fixing cricket matches for gambling syndicates. The allegations emerged after the News of the World's former investigations editor, Mazher Mahmood, approached Majeed in August last year pretending to be a wealthy Indian businessman seeking major international cricketers for a tournament.
After gaining the agent's confidence, the journalist broached the subject of rigging games.
Majeed claimed he had been carrying out match-fixing for two-and-a-half years, had seven players from Pakistan's national side working for him, and had made "masses and masses of money".
He told the undercover reporter that fixing part of a match would cost £50,000 to £80,000, but rigging results was much more expensive - around £400,000 for a Twenty20 game and as much as £1 million for a five-day Test. The agent was secretly filmed accepting £150,000 in cash from the journalist as part of an arrangement to rig games.
Prosecutors allege that Butt and Asif conspired with Majeed and Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir, 19, to deliver three intentional no-balls during the Lord's Test between Pakistan and England from August 26 to 29 last year.
Butt and Asif deny conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments. Butt told the court that Majeed asked him to become involved in fixing, but insisted he ignored the agent's requests and knew nothing about the alleged agreement to deliver no-balls at pre-arranged points in the Lord's game.
Explaining why he bowled a no-ball at Lord's precisely when the agent said he would, Asif claimed that Butt told him, "run faster", moments before his delivery.
Luxury hotels, doughnuts and even flying lessons are among the items paid for using Government credit cards since the coalition came to power.
Staff at public bodies also spent thousands of pounds on taxis and orthopaedic equipment, as well as buying items from iTunes.
The details emerged as the Government published a mass of material on procurement card transactions worth over £500 from this financial year.
Some bodies have gone further and given information on all purchases.
Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude insisted more stringent controls on use of the cards - including a crackdown on first-class travel - had brought spending on cards down by £45 million to £341 million in the first year of the coalition Government.
Officials at the Department for Transport stayed at a variety of high-class hotel chains between April and August this year, including Sheraton, Hilton and Intercontinental.
More than £4,000 went on orthopaedic kit from a firm called Posturite.
There was also a bill of £1,335.65 for "flying training" in May, and another £616.28 to Cabair Flying Schools in August. A DfT spokeswoman said: "A valid pilot's licence is required by a number of inspectors employed by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch as part of their work. This requires regular training to ensure these licences remain up-to-date."
Records from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport show taxi firm Addison Lee was paid £1,886.71 in May, £1,756.12 in June, and £1,412.64 in July.
Sweet-toothed officials at the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) spent £172.70 at The Cake Store in July and £54.30 at Krispy Kreme on March 30. The following day, the agency used the card to spend £247.75 at Dominos and £157.88 at Marks & Spencer.
Libya has a "historic opportunity" to build a state where human rights and fundamental freedoms are protected, William Hague has said as the UN voted to lift the no-fly zone.
The allied military action that began on March 17 to protect Libyan civilians will finish next Monday after a unanimous vote by the UN Security Council.
The Foreign Secretary described the new resolution as "another significant milestone towards a peaceful, democratic future for Libya".
He said: "Ending the no-fly zone and the civilian protection provisions demonstrates that Libya has entered a new era.
"The resolution reiterates that the Libyan authorities have a duty to uphold human rights and must prevent reprisals and revenge attacks... This is vital; a commitment to democracy, good governance and rule of law must be at the heart of the current transitional period."
UN Security Council Resolution 2016 ends the UN authorisation for military action just before midnight on October 31, which means that Libya will regain control of its airspace and all military operations from November 1.
Mr Hague said: "We now look forward to the creation of an inclusive, representative Transitional Government in Libya and to a new era in UK-Libya relations.
"Libya has a historic opportunity to create a state where human rights are protected and all people enjoy fundamental freedoms. This would be a fitting tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for future generations."
His comments came after a British military chief said the UK was battling to prevent thousands of Muammar Gaddafi's deadly surface-to-air missiles ending up in "the wrong hands".
Air Marshal Sir Stuart Peach, Britain's commander of joint operations, warned there was "always a risk of proliferation of such weapons" and admitted it was not known exactly how many were out there.
