Suspended jail terms rocket across county

The number of criminals being given suspended sentences has soared in the last decade in Derbyshire.
Chesterfield magistrates court.Chesterfield magistrates court.
Chesterfield magistrates court.

Figures from the Centre for Crime Prevention showed that in 2002 only two per cent of prison terms – or 41 sentences handed down by judges and magistrates in Derbyshire – were suspended.

However, in 2012, 31 per cent of offences – 980 offences – were dealt with by means of a suspended jail term in Derbyshire.

Offenders serving suspended jail terms include a Derbyshire man who strangled a cat and then threw its body in the bin.

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