THE Examiner has discovered that violent criminals and even rapists have been let off with a police caution in Kirklees over the last five years.
Solicitors and magistrates have privately raised concerns about the fewer number of people up before the courts and being given cautions instead.
And they are also worried about the number of people given £80 fixed penalty tickets instead of being taken to court – but that’s another story.
People can only get a caution if they have admitted the offence, so it is difficult to see how anyone could be given a caution for rape, sex assault on females and even sexual activity involving a child under 13.
People have also escaped with cautions for serious violent offences including wounding and grievous bodily harm.
It all makes worrying reading and has emerged as a result of a Freedom Of Information request by the Examiner.
We have persevered with this to make sure you got the information we feel you need.
The FOI Act is a powerful piece of legislation to get to the heart of all kinds of issues that affect people’s quality of life.
We intend to use it more and more to find out the information you have a right to know.
