Lord Goldsmith, the attorney general, has announced an overhaul of the way defendants who skip bail are handled.

Lord Goldsmith said that "bail bandits" face a police crackdown and have their failure to turn up to court taken into account by the authorities under new government plans.

With 60,000 warrants outstanding in England and Wales, the minister said "Operation turn-up" would be crucial to providing a more efficient criminal justice system.

Government Response: Department of Constitutional Affairs

Chris Leslie, courts minister at the Department of Constitutional Affairs, said:  "Compliance with court orders is not optional. Offenders appearing in court when they are ordered to is not only part of the criminal process, but also vital if the courts are to be respected.