More than 1,000 prisoners had their rights breached when they were prevented from voting in elections, European judges have ruled.

But the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rejected the applicants' claims for compensation and legal costs.

The case considered by the court related to 1,015 inmates who were in jail and barred from voting in one or more elections between 2009 and 2011.

The three judges unanimously agreed there had been a violation of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights - right to free elections.

This was due to the "blanket character" of the statutory ban.

The court made the ruling as it was identical to other prisoner voting cases in which a breach had been found, while no changes had been made to the law.