Rise in repeat knife crime offenders spared prison sentences

Fewer knife offenders are being jailed despite a surge in knife crime, Ministry of Justice (MoJ) figures have shown.

The number of repeat offenders avoiding an immediate custodial sentence rose from 28 per cent to 40 per cent despite “two strikes and out” laws that require courts to impose a jail term “unless it would not be in the interest of justice to do so”.

The MoJ data also showed that the overall number of knife crime offenders given an immediate jail term fell from 38 to 30 per cent in the year to March despite an increase in knife crime.

The number of knife offences recorded by police jumped by 10 per cent to 49,027 in the year to March. Around 40 per cent of murders in the same period involved a knife or sharp instrument, a similar proportion to previous years.

‘Kick in the teeth for victims’

Philip Davies, a Tory MP, blamed “liberal” judges for defying Parliament, saying: “Judges should implement the laws passed by Parliament.

“It is another kick in the teeth for victims. It’s completely unacceptable. Once again, far too many judges seem to have more interest in the rights of criminals than the rights of victims.”

The number of knife crime offences before the courts rose by five per cent to 19,555 in the year to March, with the number given immediate jail sentences down from 6,079 to 5,815.

The number of repeat offenders rose from 3,774 to 4,149, of which 2,349 – 60 per cent – received an immediate term, down from 72 per cent in the previous year.

There was an increase in suspended jail sentences given out by judges. MoJ officials suggested the fall in prison sentences could be a result of courts prioritising the more serious cases during the Covid pandemic, which meant a greater number of less serious cases were dealt with during the year to March.

Increasing number of community resolutions

Separate MoJ figures also revealed that a record number of criminals, including sex offenders, robbers and violent thugs, are being let off criminal prosecutions by agreeing to say sorry to their victims.

The figures show that the number of community resolutions increased by more than a third in four years, to nearly 137,000. They now account for more than one in 10 of all 1.2 million offences that passed through the criminal justice system in the past year.

Offenders given community resolutions agree to say sorry to those they have wronged face-to-face and may be ordered to pay compensation or carry out a reparation. They avoid a criminal record because they are not taken to court and do not receive a police caution.

Criminals guilty of more serious offences are receiving community resolutions, including 40,743 charged with violence against the person in the year to March – up from 35,612 in the previous year.

The number of sex offences resulting in a community resolution rose from 421 to 643, a 40 per cent rise. Resolutions for robbery were up 40 per cent from 185 to 314, and up from 1,470 to 1,756 for possession of weapons such as knives.

Overall, the number of offenders issued with community resolutions rose from 132,334 to 136,663, an increase of three per cent.

A Government spokesman said: “Those caught carrying a knife are more likely to be sent to jail, and for longer, than they were a decade ago.

“Since 2019, 72,000 dangerous weapons have been taken off our streets through stop and search, surrender programmes and other targeted police action.