Up to 76 years’ unpaid community service not completed, Tories find

More than 650,000 hours of unpaid community service have not been carried out, new figures reveal.

The statistics were released by the Scottish Conservatives following freedom of information requests to local authorities.

They have accused SNP and Labour-run councils of letting offenders off the hook as at least 669,838 hours’ worth of unpaid work are yet to be completed as part of community service.

The unfinished work equates to around 76 years, the Tories have said.

Scottish Conservative justice secretary Jamie Greene hit out at the figures on the sentences, which are issued as an alternative to prison, saying “dangerous criminals” are not facing appropriate consequences for their offences.

According to Criminal Proceedings in Scotland statistics for 2019 to 2020, eight criminals convicted of homicide were given CPOs, along with one person convicted of rape or attempted rape.

And 106 people convicted under the Domestic Abuse Act 2018 were given community service.

Mr Greene said: “This is an absolutely shocking figure that is caused in part by the SNP’s obsession with emptying Scotland’s prisons and dishing out community sentences instead.

“It is bad enough that rapists and domestic abusers are being handed community sentences to begin with, but the fact that the equivalent of 76 years’ worth of unpaid work is outstanding will stun victims of crime.”

The MSP also took aim at some of the activities individuals are assigned on community service, and said the punishments make a “mockery” of the suffering experienced by victims.

FOI data revealed that some of the unpaid work assigned to individuals included making bird tables and building bee hotels.

He added: “Scottish Conservative councillors will ensure criminals are made to carry out proper punishments as part of their community sentences.”

An SNP spokesman said: “The Tories have no credibility on justice issues and their dog-whistle rhetoric is utterly shameful.

“If they’re so tough on crime, why are the Scottish Tories silent about their own prime minister – the first PM to receive a police fine while in office.”

Eight convicted of homicides given CPOs