Shocking new figures have exposed how thousands of foreign criminals, including rapists and child sex offenders, have been let off without a criminal conviction simply for saying sorry for their crimes.
Data obtained under Freedom of Information laws reveals that over the last three years, more than 412,000 offenders escaped a criminal record after being handed 'community resolution orders' instead of facing formal charges. Among them were at least 14,000 foreign nationals, including individuals convicted of some of the most serious offences.
Serious Offences Treated With Soft-Touch Justice
The community resolution orders system was originally designed for low-level crimes, intended to help troubled youths and first-time offenders avoid a criminal record and rehabilitate. However, the data from 38 UK police forces shows these soft-touch measures have been applied to grave crimes.
Among those who avoided court were 2,949 sex offenders, including two rapists. The figures detail how foreign child sex offenders, drug traffickers, and violent criminals from overseas received what critics describe as little more than a slap on the wrist.
Sex offenders from countries including Albania, Congo, Iran, the Philippines, and Romania were all handed these orders. Specifically, five offenders from Iran, the Philippines, Nepal, Romania, and Zimbabwe who sexually assaulted teenage girls were let off without charges. Flashers from Syria, Algeria, and Nigeria also escaped prosecution, as did a Chinese national accused of child cruelty.
A Breakdown of the Most Shocking Cases
The data provides a grim catalogue of serious crimes that resulted in community resolutions rather than court appearances. In Derbyshire and Humberside, rapists were handed these orders. The Derbyshire case involved a boy under 14 raping a girl of a similar age.
In Durham, two sex attackers from the Philippines and Iran were let off with the soft-touch orders. Across the country, the statistics are staggering:
- 24 girls under 13 and 13 pre-teen boys were sexually assaulted, with attackers let off after an apology.
- At least 134 sexual assaults on girls aged 13 to 16 were dealt with via community resolutions.
- Nearly 750 people caught with indecent photos of children received the orders.
- Almost 165 cases of sexual activity with children ended with offenders being let off.
- 80 people escaped charges for child cruelty, alongside six kidnappers and child abductors.
Drug offenders from 128 different countries and violent criminals from 99 nations were handed community resolution orders. The true numbers are likely significantly higher, as some police forces were unable to provide complete data or information on offenders' origins.
Police Defend Controversial Decisions
Police forces have defended their use of community resolutions for such serious cases. A Derbyshire Police spokesman stated regarding the child rape case that a 'specialist multi-agency panel' judged it appropriate for a community resolution, noting that the boy received interventions and has not been a suspect in further incidents.
Durham Police emphasised that 'the best interests and welfare of the victim are the centre' of their decisions, adding that each case is considered individually. Humberside Police declined to comment on their case.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dr Alison Heydari from the National Police Chiefs' Council stated: 'Out of Court Resolutions are a highly effective way of delivering justice, supporting community safety and preventing future offending.' She acknowledged the need for public understanding and consistent delivery of these measures.
This controversy adds to mounting pressure on the government over its handling of the justice system, following recent admissions of prisoners being mistakenly released and concerns that plans to send fewer offenders to prison could leave the public at greater risk.
