How prolific criminals get shorter jail sentences
CRIMINALS with long records get softer sentences than first-time offenders, research reveals today.
A report found evidence for a perverse ‘more crime, less time’ rule which applies to violent, drug and theft offenders.
Its author, Tory MP Neil O’Brien, also found thugs can be caught with a blade up to 18 times before they are locked up, despite rising concern about knife crime. The figures come ahead of a major speech today by Justice Secretary David Gauke in which he will defend his efforts to ensure sentences are ‘appropriate’.
The research, based on official sentencing statistics and published today by the Onward think-tank, found over the last five years the average first-time offender was jailed for just under three years. But criminals with between 26 and 50 previous convictions were jailed for nine months and those with 51 to 75 previous convictions just under six months.
Criminals with more than 100 previous offences were on average jailed for just over three months. Of those who were jailed, violent thugs with between 50 and 75 previous offences got half the sentence length of a first-time offender – just under 14 months.
Mr O’Brien told the Mail: ‘ Most people would expect more prolific offenders to get much, much longer sentences.’ He added: ‘Brave policemen and women put themselves at risk to catch dangerous criminals... It is madness for judges to give prolific criminals a slap on the wrist and set them free to offend again.’
Justice officials said the report compared a large number of first-time criminals to ‘tiny’ numbers of repeat-offenders. A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: ‘Sentences are decided by independent judges on the facts of each case.’
‘Police are putting themselves at risk’