JUSTICE Secretary Chris Grayling’s sell-off of the probation service was branded a botched job yesterday by its chief inspector.

Paul McDowell’s findings echoed the warnings of workers who have raised the alarm on the chaos and possible threat to the public created by the massive reorganisation.

The chief inspector reported staff being told by email about new processes 24 hours before their implementation, with no time for training.

Mr McDowell added that the speed of the break-up of services into regional bodies had “caused operational problems” and created new communication issues.

Labour shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan said the report was a “stark warning” that confirmed “the almighty mess caused by this government’s reckless and half-baked privatisation.”

But opposition leader Ed Miliband would not commit to renationalisation in an answer to a probation worker at a meeting in Great Yarmouth yesterday.