Sex attackers set free after saying sorry

A RECORD number of sex offenders, including rapists and paedophiles, managed to avoid punishment last year - because they said "sorry" to their victims.

- BY MATTHEW DAVIS

These offenders escaped getting a criminal record after the police and Crown Prosecution Service agreed to allow them to receive what is known as a "community resolution".

The police practice, which involves the guilty party admitting responsibility for the offence and either apologising or paying compensation to a victim, was meant to be used for low-level crimes.

However, Home Office data shows they were used to clear up a record 912 sex crimes in the last financial year, including sexual assaults, grooming and flashing offences.

It means that every week more than 17 sex offenders are escaping any punishment and sidestepping the court system after being allowed to just say sorry to their victims.

Police chiefs say community resolutions are normally only ever used in relation to sexual offences if the victim is content for the crime to be dealt with using that method.

The tally of cases dealt with in this way in the past year included four child rapes, 20 grooming crimes, 400 sex assaults and 166 offences of sexual activity with a child.