MP’s fears for justice system as offenders given cautions

CONFIDENCE in the justice system risks being undermined as thousands of offenders are let off with cautions, an MP has warned.

Dewsbury MP Simon Reevell, who is also a barrister, refused to vote for the Government’s shake-up of sentencing and legal aid because of a series of concerns including that it will increase the use of cautions.

Mr Reevell was particularly critical of West Yorkshire Police which handed out more than 7,000 cautions in a year – some for burglary and sex offences – rather than prosecuting offenders.

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Warning that some proposals in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, which has passed its first Commons hurdle, could undermine justice, Mr Reevell said: “On the criminal law side, one example is how the Bill makes provision for the greater use of cautioning. West Yorkshire police, who operate in my constituency, are an innovative force pioneering a scheme called ‘In the Dock’, which displays photographs and details of convicted criminals on the internet.

“They hope that it will act as a deterrent and provide reassurance. It might work, but at the same time victims and the wider public might be more reassured, and potential criminals might be better deterred, if the same force did not caution thousands and thousands of criminals each year, including for sex and violent offences.

“The Bill encourages cautioning for adults, however, together with the greater use of fixed-penalty notices. That is cheaper, sure, but the message goes out, ‘Don’t worry, you’ll only get a caution’. Is there really a clamour from victims of crime for the increased use of cautioning by the police?”

Mr Reevell said the Bill – stripped of plans to offer offenders 50 per cent sentence cuts for early guilty pleas after a public backlash – will also make it easier to caution young offenders.

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In the 12 months to last September West Yorkshire Police issued 7,736 cautions, including 2,655 for violence against the person, 65 for burglary and 20 for sex offences.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said it arrested 80,000 offenders last year and the number of cautions was “significantly less” than the national average.

“Cautions are useful because they give some people a ‘second chance’ allowing them to learn their lesson and to avoid a lengthy and unnecessary journey through the Courts and criminal justice system,” he added.