Nearly 12,000 criminals have walked free from British courts with suspended sentences despite having at least ten previous convictions, it was revealed today.
A staggering 11,670 repeat offenders had their prison terms suspended last year – with 9,052 of these having 15 or more previous convictions on their record.
The suspended sentences were meted out for a range of offences, including theft, molesting children, taking a bomb into a hotel, benefit fraud, burglary and faking a death.