Breaching bail focus of police crackdown

A SENIOR North Queensland police officer says officers are cracking down on alleged offenders who breach bail.

New figures reveal the number of bail breaches has more than doubled since 2005.

Northern Region Assistant Commissioner Paul Taylor said if bail was granted, police worked hard to ensure conditions were met and those breaching held to account.

The Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council released data showing the rise in bail breaches, stating in their Sentencing Spotlight that 95 per cent of offenders pleaded guilty to the breach statewide.

Four out of five offenders receive a non- custodial penalty, most likely a fine for adults and a reprimand for young offenders.

Advisory Council chair Professor Elena Marchetti said under Queensland law there was a general presumption in favour of granting bail to defendants, while Mr Taylor said police often opposed bail.

“We mount practical strong arguments around objections to bail when we believe circumstances warrant,” Mr Taylor said.

“Where we’re unsuccessful, our alternate argument is to try and get stringent bail conditions imposed.”

Mr Taylor said he had found the more aggressive police were in managing bail conditions the more likely people were to comply.

Mr Taylor said police often sought to use breaches as a reason for future bail to be opposed but decisions were in the hands of magistrates.

“The whole concept being if people aren’t abiding by their bail the potential is that they are going to be committing more offences,” Mr Taylor said.