London, Aug 19 (ANI): British courts are giving prison sentences to convicted rioters that are on average 25 percent longer than normal, according a report.
According to an exclusive analysis of 1,000 riot-related cases dealt with so far by magistrates, reveals that 70 percent of defendants have been remanded in custody to await crown court trial, fuelling a surge in the prison population, which reached a record high of 86,608 in England and Wales.
According to the Guardian, data also showed that 56 defendants of the 80 who have already been sentenced by magistrates were given immediate prison terms.
This 70 percent rate of imprisonment compared with a 'normal' rate of just two percent in magistrates courts, the paper said.
Over half those imprisoned were charged with theft or handling stolen goods, receiving an average of 5.1 months.
According to Ministry of Justice statistics, this is 25 percent longer than the average custodial sentence for these crimes of 4.1 months seen in courts during 2010.
Public order offences are leading to sentences 33 percent longer than normal and those convicted of assaulting police officers have been jailed for 40 percent longer than usual, the paper said.
The Ministry of Justice said that its latest figures showed 1,297 people had appeared before magistrates charged with riot-related offences.
A total of 772 had been remanded in custody, compared with the 'normal' remand rate for serious offences of ten percent. (ANI)
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