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| London's Met Police 'gave five rapists cautions' | London's Met Police 'gave five rapists cautions' |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Five rapists were given police cautions rather than taken to court last year, figures released by the Metropolitan Police have shown. | Five rapists were given police cautions rather than taken to court last year, figures released by the Metropolitan Police have shown. |
| Cautions were given to 28,998 people, including 180 for grievous bodily harm or wounding and 165 for sex offences. | Cautions were given to 28,998 people, including 180 for grievous bodily harm or wounding and 165 for sex offences. |
| The Met said it followed national police guidelines. | The Met said it followed national police guidelines. |
| Tony Arbour, from the Greater London Assembly, who requested the figures, said the use of cautions for serious offences was "outrageous". | Tony Arbour, from the Greater London Assembly, who requested the figures, said the use of cautions for serious offences was "outrageous". |
| The Metropolitan Police said: "For a caution to be issued, an offender must have made a clear and reliable admission, there is a realistic prospect of a conviction, and it is in the public interest to administer a caution. | The Metropolitan Police said: "For a caution to be issued, an offender must have made a clear and reliable admission, there is a realistic prospect of a conviction, and it is in the public interest to administer a caution. |
| "For some sexual offences, in cases where the victim may not wish to proceed to court... the accused individual can be placed on the sex offences register for two years." | "For some sexual offences, in cases where the victim may not wish to proceed to court... the accused individual can be placed on the sex offences register for two years." |
| According to the figures, 5,843 people received cautions for violent attacks with injury, 131 for robbery and 318 offenders for drug trafficking. | According to the figures, 5,843 people received cautions for violent attacks with injury, 131 for robbery and 318 offenders for drug trafficking. |
| Mr Arbour said: "It is unfair on victims, and the fact that a law-abiding resident will receive the same or even worse punishment for minor traffic offences as drug traffickers, robbers and rapists is simply outrageous." | Mr Arbour said: "It is unfair on victims, and the fact that a law-abiding resident will receive the same or even worse punishment for minor traffic offences as drug traffickers, robbers and rapists is simply outrageous." |
| The Crown Prosecution Service said there are two types of caution - simple and conditional. In the case of the latter, failure to comply with specific conditions would result in the original offence being prosecuted. | |
| It said it advised police on indictable offences such as rape and murder, but otherwise it was an operational police matter. | It said it advised police on indictable offences such as rape and murder, but otherwise it was an operational police matter. |
| Justice Minister Damian Green said: "The use of cautions has drastically fallen in the last five years and we are clear that people who commit serious crimes should be brought before a court." | Justice Minister Damian Green said: "The use of cautions has drastically fallen in the last five years and we are clear that people who commit serious crimes should be brought before a court." |
| He added a review into their use was due to be published shortly. | |
| Javed Khan, chief executive of Victim Support, said: "Victims must have decisions explained to them in order to retain their confidence in the police and other criminal justice agencies. | Javed Khan, chief executive of Victim Support, said: "Victims must have decisions explained to them in order to retain their confidence in the police and other criminal justice agencies. |
| "The police need to be clear on when it is appropriate to give a caution - for example this is not likely to be right for most violent and sexual offences." | "The police need to be clear on when it is appropriate to give a caution - for example this is not likely to be right for most violent and sexual offences." |