PROBATION officers were apoplectic yesterday after Chris Grayling railroaded through plans to privatise the service despite widespread concerns over the effect of the sell-off.

The Justice Secretary signed £450 million-worth of contracts with private and voluntary sector bidders as part of his controversial “transforming rehabilitation” package.

The changes allow private firms and charities to take over the supervision of 225,000 low and medium-risk offenders each year on a payment-by-results basis.