MORE than 1,300 offenders in Essex were spared jail by the courts in 2012, new figures show - an increase of more than 2,000 per cent compared with 2002.
The figures, compiled by the Centre for Crime Prevention, show that in 2012 1,134 criminals in the county were handed suspended sentences.
This shows a steep rise from 2002 when just 42 offenders were given the same punishment.
Peter Cuthbertson, author of the report and Director of the Centre for Crime Prevention, said: "Thugs and sex offenders who think they are finally going to prison are overjoyed when find out that the prison sentence has been suspended.
"It makes a mockery of justice for victims and puts the public at great risk. These figures show that criminals given suspended sentences go on to commit hundreds of thousands of crimes. Suspended sentences should be abolished."
