Criminals avoid court by writing letter

Criminals in the West Midlands are being offered the chance to escape a court appearance – if they agree to pay compensation or write a letter of apology, it was revealed today.

West Midlands Police is bringing in "conditional cautions" as an alternative to dealing with petty crime such as shoplifting and vandalism.

The force said the move would "provide a speedy, appropriate and effective" way of dealing with offenders who admit their guilt.

But today it was criticised by a senior Wolverhampton councillor as another way of keeping crooks out of over-crowded prisons.

Senior officers say the move is more efficient than dragging criminals through court, only for them to escape with a small fine or conditional discharge.

And they argue that it avoids the need for victims to be dragged through a lengthy legal process.

Police today said the final decision to approve a conditional caution rested with the Crown Prosecution Service, only after taking into account how serious the crime was, previous convictions and the views of victims.

But Tettenhall Wightwick councillor Joan Stevenson, deputy Tory group leader, said: "Residents say to me that they feel the whole of the justice system is too soft, that if harsher punishment is given out at an early stage it might well nip more major problems in the bud.

"It seems to me it's another way of not dealing with people properly in the first place, and another way of the Government's inadequate prison policy."

Zoe Coward, from West Midlands Police, said the conditions attached to the caution must be "appropriate and effective".

"Compensation for victims can either be monetary or through a letter of apology from the offender."

Insp Wayne Bernstein, of West Midlands Police's criminal justice unit, said the new powers would be used only for adults who admit their guilt for "relatively low level offences".