Sex offenders, burglars’ ‘slap on the wrist’

Published: 28 October, 2010
by JAMIE WELHAM

THOUSANDS of Camden criminals who commit serious offences are being let off with police cautions, it has been revealed.

Crimes including sexual assault and robbery are going unpunished with offenders being handed a “slap on the wrist” rather than being brought before the courts.

Figures obtained by the New Journal under the Freedom of Information Act show the number of cautions has increased over the past two years, with so-called “soft penalties” given to burglars, sex offenders, and fraudsters.

Under Home Office guidelines, cautions should only be handed out for lesser offences to ease pressure on the courts and to act as a warning to first-time offenders.

A total of 2,180 offences have been punished with cautions since October 2008. Of these, 22 were sexual offences, 25 were for burglary and some 880 were for “violence against the person”.

The figures do not show how many are repeat cautions but the vast major­ity are given to people in their twenties.

The statistics have been met with claims that “soft justice” is putting the public at risk and making a mockery of the justice system by letting serious offenders off the hook.

Roger Montgomery, head of Belsize Crescent Neighbourhood Watch, said: “This does not look like a case of the punishment fitting the crime. We are talking about serious offences, and I don’t know why these people shouldn’t go to court. 

“What happened to rehabilitation and punishment? This is exactly the sort of thing that doesn’t inspire confidence in the justice system. 

“It looks like people are getting away with it.”

John-James Williams, a member of the Arlington Road Residents Association, said: “I don’t think people object to the idea of cautions per se, but they need to be used in the right circumstances, and it doesn’t look like that’s happening. I’d like to know why any sex offence should be met with a ­caution.”

Out-of-court penalties can only be used if the offender admits their guilt, allowing them to escape the shame of a court appearance and, for many, a jail sentence. 

Cautions are handed out at the discretion of police officers but the decision to grant one for more serious offences is made by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) following an arrest. Historically, senior figures in the Met Police have been critical of the CPS for opting for cautions which carry the same weight as a conviction under government targets. 

A CPS London spokes­man said: “The police are responsible for deciding to caution offenders for offences which are not indictable-only. For example, offences such as sexual assault and theft. The Crown Prosecution Service may have no involvement in the decision. A caution for offences which can only be tried in the crown court must be sanctioned by the CPS and should only be used in exceptional circumstances. 

“A caution will only be considered where the suspect has fully admitted the offence and the prosecutor has considered that the public interest does not require a prosecution. 

“When considering the public interest, prosecutors must take into account the views expressed by the victim or the victim’s family.”

A Camden Police spokeswoman declined to comment.