Only 1 in 13 offences lead to prosecution

POLICE are solving half as many crimes as four years ago with under one in 13 offences leading to a prosecution, official figures reveal.

The number of offences resulting in a charge has fallen from 15.5 per cent in 2014-15 to a record low of 7.4 per cent in 2018-19, with rape charges dropping to just 1.4 per cent, according to Home Office data.

It came as it was revealed knife crime rose by 7 per cent to a record high, helping to push overall offending in England and Wales to its highest level in 15 years. Robberies were up to a 12year high, while firearms, rape, vehicle theft and fraud also increased.

Police and crime experts blamed the fall in charges on shortages of detectives, the increasing complexity of investigations and forces screening out high-volume offences unlikely to be solved at an earlier stage.

Lord Stevens, the former Metropolitan Police commissioner, said: “It’s because of the decimation of the detective force needed to investigate some of these offences, as well as the lack of neighbourhood policing. The other issue is the judicial system and ability to prosecute. It’s taking time to take these cases through court, and cover the discovery of documents. The whole criminal justice system has slowed down and is in trouble.”

Rick Muir, director of the Police Foundation, said: “Forces are rationing their investigative resources. A lot of crimes that are too difficult to investigate or don’t score highly in terms of harm are not going to be prioritised. That’s offences like cycle theft, shoplifting and car theft.”

Rape, a focus of controversy over evidence disclosure, saw the proportion of offences resulting in a charge fall from 8.5 per cent in 2014-15 to 2.4 per cent last year and now 1.4 per cent. This was despite a 7 per cent increase in offences to 58,947 in the year ending June 2019.

The figures came as the National Crime Agency revealed a week-long blitz on county lines gangs had led to 700 arrests, the seizure of £426,000 of drugs and capture of 169 weapons including 12 guns and swords, machetes, an axe, knives, samurai swords and a crossbow.