Criminals warrant system collapses

Hundreds of convicted criminals in London are getting away unpunished because of a collapse in the system for hauling them back into court when they ignore community penalties.

More than 1,000 - including sex offenders, burglars and car thieves - have evaded justice since April when the Government introduced a new system. Criminal justice sources reveal that not one warrant has been successfully enforced in London. In theory, if an offender breaches the conditions of their sentence they should be brought back to court and punished afresh - but around one third do not turn up and are supposed to be tracked down, arrested and brought to court.

That duty fell to police until the Government transferred it to magistrates' courts, which use civilian teams. A criminal justice source said: "They have been given the extra responsibility, but the Government has not provided any extra resources. We are talking about each London borough being covered by two blokes in a Fiesta."

Rosie Eagleson, general secretary of magistrates' court staff union AMO, said: "The credibility of the criminal process is being undermined by the lack of resources. There is also a problem because people in the courts do not have the same powers as police officers."

Staff do not have the power to search people before taking them into custody and have been advised to walk away if concerned a situation may turn violent.

Harry Fletcher, general secretary of the National Association of Probation Officers, claimed probation officers have been advised by managers to ask courts to write off cases which have gone for more than 12 months without a warrant being followed up. He said: "That means if a criminal manages to keep their head down for a year they will get off scot free. The fact that they did not serve their sentence properly will not show up on their criminal record, so if they are charged again in the future the court will think they are suitable for a community punishment instead of prison."

Home Office Minister John Denham admitted weeks ago to Westminster colleagues that 903 unexecuted warrants were outstanding in the capital from the new system. The failure will infuriate Home Secretary David Blunkett who has made clear he wants to reform criminal punishments so that they " command public support and respect".

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Simon Hughes, whose inquiries uncovered the failings in London, said: "It is no good for the Government to pass responsibility for enforcing these warrants to the courts if they simply haven't got the resources to deal with them."