Career crooks dodging jail doubles in 10 years

THE number of career criminals being spared prison despite being convicted of serious offences doubled in 10 years.

Some 3,219 criminals who had already amassed more than 50 previous convictions managed to avoid jail in 2016 after coming before a court and being found guilty of a serious crime, figures from the Ministry of Justice show.

In 2006 only 1,608 such offenders with 50 or more previous offences escaped jail.

Among 2016’s hard core of offenders there were 239 people who had more than 100 crimes already to their name yet still managed to dodge a jail sentence. David Spencer, of the Centre for Crime Prevention, said: “It is truly astonishing that any judge could fail to jail repeat offenders who are convicted again and again of the most serious crimes.

“These individuals are a blight on their communities and the presumption should be to lock them up to keep people safe.”

The MoJ said: “Under this Government the most serious offenders are more likely to go to prison, and for longer, helping protect the public. Sentencing is a matter for the independent judiciary.”