Outrage over serial criminals who escapejail sentences

Jonathan Reed Political Editor

SIX out of 10 serial offenders are walking away from court without a jail sentence, even when they have clocked up more than 15 convictions.

The revelation was branded an “absolute scandal” last night as it emerged 77,000 offenders avoided a prison term last year despite having at least 11 previous convictions or cautions.

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Justice Minister Crispin Blunt revealed that 56,000 of those had committed 15 or more previous offences, reigniting the fierce debate over sentencing by the courts.

Prison reform campaigners insisted that jail was not always the best way of reducing reoffending, but the figures are revealed just days after England’s most senior judge, the Lord Chief Justice, warned that too many violent thugs were getting away with just a caution without even being taken to court.

The revelation comes in the same week that a 23-year-old Sheffield man, Wesley Gordon, was jailed for rape after a lengthy criminal career stretching back to his youth.

The Government is already carrying out a full review of sentencing and rehabilitation after Justice Secretary Ken Clarke called for fewer short sentences, although he has stopped short of Liberal Democrat demands for all sentences shorter than six months to be abolished.

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Speaking about the number of repeat offenders avoiding prison, Shipley Tory MP Philip Davies said: “I think it’s an absolute scandal. It confirms people’s worst fears about the criminal justice system – it’s becoming increasingly difficult to be sent to prison.

“It flies in the face of everything Ken Clarke has been saying – he’s been giving the impression people get sent to prison willy nilly, but you can see from this it’s incredibly difficult to be sent to prison. You’ve got to work pretty hard to do it.”

The figures revealed by Mr Blunt show that last year 62.2 per cent of offenders appearing in court with 15 or more previous convictions were not given a prison sentence – up from 59.4 per cent the year before.

Of those with 11 to 14 convictions, 67.7 per cent avoided prison and 72.6 per cent of those with seven to 10 previous convictions also walked free from court.

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“Most people will be appalled that 62 per cent of people who have committed 15 or more crimes are not being sent to prison,” said Mr Davies, who has spoken out about the need for short sentences.

In a speech earlier this year, Mr Clarke described the 85,000 prison population in England and Wales as “astonishing” and questioned whether it was delivering value for money for taxpayers. He challenged the claim of former Tory Home Secretary – and subsequently party leader – Michael Howard that “prison works”.

He indicated support for a reduction in the use of short sentences, saying it was “virtually impossible” to rehabilitate or train prisoners in a short time but often cost them their jobs, their homes and their families, making them more likely to reoffend.

The Liberal Democrats campaigned at the General Election for the scrapping of short sentences, while Labour leader Ed Miliband has also said he wants to work with Mr Clarke following his remarks.

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Prison Reform Trust director Juliet Lyon said: “From the sentencing figures released by the Ministry of Justice last week it’s clear that over the last 11 years more people are being sent to prison and for longer.

“Given the appalling reconviction rates, the worry is that custody is not always the best way to reduce reoffending.

“Most people would support a commonsense approach that would cut addictions to drugs and drink and enable offenders to pay back to their victims by doing enforced community service. Intensive work with persistent offenders, led by police and probation services, works far better than a short prison sentence.”

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “Sentencing in individual court cases must always be a matter for the independent judiciary as only they have the full facts of each case.

“We are conducting a full assessment of sentencing and rehabilitation policy to ensure that it is effective in deterring crime, protecting the public, punishing offenders and cutting re-offending.”

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