Judges slammed over knife crime crackdown as figures reveal repeat offenders are going free
Shock data comes after officials introduced 'two strikes' law to combat crooks caught twice with weapons
JUDGES were blasted for being soft on knife crime yesterday as figures showed nearly 50 per cent of repeat offenders are still being spared prison sentences.
It comes after a “two strikes” law was introduced last July with minimum six-month terms for crooks caught twice with weapons.
Ex-Tory MP Nick de Bois, who campaigned for the legislation, said the Government must investigate.
He stormed: “Parliament could not have been more clear — two strikes and you’re out.
“That’s the law and the courts are wrong to ignore it, wrong to leave these criminals on the streets and wrong to tolerate knife crime.
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“How many more stabbings and deaths will it take before the courts implement the wishes of the British people?”
The Ministry of Justice said 1,793 repeat offenders were sentenced from July to March 2016.
Some 55 per cent were jailed, with 22 per cent getting a suspended term.
The MoJ admitted judges can let off offenders if jail terms seem “unjust”.
For the first quarter of 2016 knife possession was up 13 per cent on last year, with 4,663 crimes.
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