Criminals put in the dock on new police website

A ROGUES' gallery is being published on a police website in an attempt to boost public confidence in the criminal justice system.

West Yorkshire Police, working with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), are publishing police 'mugshot' photographs of convicted criminals, detailing their crimes and the sentence of the courts in a new scheme called In The Dock. It is part of a Justice Seen Justice Done campaign – a Government initiative which saw the Wakefield district chosen as a pilot for work to reduce crime and boost public confidence in the system.

Adults from the Wakefield area who are given jail sentences at the crown courts are now published on West Yorkshire Police's website.

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A police spokesman said a "risk assessment" was carried out before the photos and information was published.

So far a handful of cases have been published, mostly involving burglary, motoring offences and assaults. Also published are the names of the police officer involved in the case and the Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor.

Among those in the rogues' gallery are Michael Rhodes, 18, of Pontefract, who was sent to a young offenders' institution last month after being convicted of aggravated vehicle taking, driving dangerously, blackmail, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, driving while unfit through drink or drugs and also driving other than in accordance with a licence.

The website also includes details of three Castleford men who were sent to jail for a number of offences, mainly burglaries, in the town committed between November last year and January. There is also the case of a 29-year-old man from Normanton who was sent to jail for 15 months after he pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

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Also included is the case of Terance Hodson, 47, who was imprisoned for three years after burgling properties in the Wakefield area.

A police spokesman said: "Under the initiative, following a risk assessment, adults given custodial sentences at the county's crown courts will have their names, photographs, details of the crime they have committed and the court's sentence published on these (internet) pages.

Comments about the In The Dock pilot can be emailed to: [email protected]

Details can be found at www.westyorkshire.police.uk