Police forces have been accused of ‘tolerating’ low-level crime after a dramatic 87 per cent fall in the number of on-the-spot fines they issue. Campaigners have accused forces of regarding anti-social crimes as ‘no more than a distraction’. In 2013 fines for ‘higher-tier’ offences such as harassment and criminal damage were increased from £80 to £90. Last year only 397 fines were handed out for criminal damage – compared with 11,956 in 2009. Officers also handed out 58,280 community resolution notices for criminal damage in the four years to 2018.

Source: Daily Mail December 22, 2019 00:28 UTC