Police let 1,000 sex offenders off the hook in a year under diversion scheme

Controversial Outcome 22

Nearly 1,000 sex offenders were spared prosecution if they signed up for therapy, went to a library, or joined educational courses last year, under measures first proposed by David Lammy.

Increased Usage for Serious Crimes

Shock figures show police forces across England and Wales used the controversial Outcome 22 to take no further action on 992 reported offences over the 12 months to March, including crimes like grooming, flashing, sexual assault, and rape.

Concerns and Criticisms

Last year’s total for England and Wales is more than triple the 278 sex offences disposed of using the measure in the scheme’s first year, sparking calls for the Government to stop using Outcome 22 over fears the soft-touch punishments make a mockery of law and order.

What is Outcome 22?

The little-known Outcome 22 allows police forces to let offenders carry out a rehabilitation activity in return for any future charges being dropped, without getting a criminal record or admitting any offense. It was introduced in 2019 to divert more first-time, petty offenders away from clogged-up courts.