Repeat offenders who get up to 49 chances to avoid jail

Repeat offenders are being handed dozens of community sentences by the courts before they are finally sent to jail.

Shocking new data from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) disclosed that one criminal was finally imprisoned last year after receiving a ‘slap on the wrist’ on 47 occasions.

In both 2016 and 2017 an offender was jailed after receiving 49 community punishments.

In 16 of the 17 years between 2007 and 2023, an offender had been handed more than 40 community sentences before getting sent to jail for a further offence. The only year when it was a lower figure was 2009, with 32.

Conservative MP Neil O’Brien, who obtained the figures though a parliamentary question, said it was ‘absurd’ that repeat offenders were able to tot up so many soft punishments before the courts finally resorted to imposing a prison term.

Community sentences see criminals avoid being locked up if they abide by a range of requirements imposed by a judge. 

Read More

Criminals and suspects answering bail told to take a 'selfie' to prove their attendance

They can include doing up to 300 hours’ unpaid work or undertaking a rehabilitation course.

Mr O’Brien said: ‘There are people racking up vast numbers of community sentences before finally being jailed.

‘It’s ridiculous that offenders have to get to 40-odd community sentences before they are finally taken off the streets.’

David Spencer, head of crime and justice at the Policy Exchange think-tank, added: ‘This data is startling – and the public will rightly be worried that “hyper- prolific” offenders are repeatedly being spared jail.’

The number of soft punishments doled out to repeat offenders will be even higher because the data only covers community sentences.

Police forces are able to impose punishments on criminals using the ‘out of court disposal’ system.

They involve offenders agreeing to apologise to their victims, repairing damage they have caused or paying compensation.

There were 193,000 such disposals issued by police in England and Wales in the year to March.

Labour is poised to expand out of court disposals yet further.

The Government has said it will create ‘respect orders’, a new type of punishment similar to anti-social behaviour orders, or ‘Asbos’, which were first introduced under Tony Blair’s government in 1998.

However, the new version will be even lighter-touch because an offender will not have to go to court. Labour pledged they will be used to ‘ban persistent adult offenders from town centres’.

An MoJ spokesman said: ‘Sentences are determined by independent judges based on the facts of each case.’