A list of 150 bail hostels has been obtained by Channel 4 News, which said people in those areas had not been asked about their opening.

The programme also said the hostels, run privately by a company called Clearsprings after winning a Government contract, were not supervised 24 hours a day.

Shadow justice secretary Nick Herbert said: "It's wrong to house prisoners in residential areas simply because the Government has failed to provide enough jail spaces, but doubly wrong that local people are never consulted beforehand.

"Placing offenders in housing where they receive almost no supervision or support is no way to provide effective rehabilitation and places the public at unnecessary risk."

But the Ministry of Justice said: "Clearsprings is under a contractual obligation to consult in areas where they are to open bail accommodation.

"Any reports that it has failed to do so will be investigated.

"Those in Clearsprings accommodation are innocent until proven guilty. Defendants who pose a risk to the public will continue to be held on remand."