 | 'In West Lothian, we have seen the number of bail offences increase 16-fold in just eight years. This government has had plenty of time to get a grip on crime, but has failed to deliver.' Cllr Angela Constance, 23 rd September 2005. |  |
| 'In West Lothian, we have seen the number of bail offences increase 16-fold in just eight years. This government has had plenty of time to get a grip on crime, but has failed to deliver.' Cllr Angela Constance, 23 rd September 2005. | |
THE number of offences committed by people out on bail has soared by nearly 400 per cent in the Lothians over the last eight years.
And figures show in West Lothian the increase was a massive 1511 per cent - from just nine bail breaches in 1997 to 145 last year.
The explosion in offences will be seen as particularly disturbing in the light of the murder of Livingston 11-year-old Rory Blackhall. Simon Harris, the man police say was responsible for the killing, was on bail awaiting trial for sex charges against young girls at the time of Rory's death.
Harris was found hanged at his home in the town nine days after Rory's disappearance and six days after failing to turn up for another court appearance.
The SNP, which obtained the bail figures under freedom of information legislation, said the problem of people committing offences while out on bail had been going on for years, but Labour had done nothing about it.
The figures show that across Lothian and Borders, bail offences rose from 183 in 1997 to 853 last year - an increase of 366 per cent. In Edinburgh, bail breaches went up from 136 in 1997 to 543 last year - a 299 per cent rise.
Angela Constance, the SNP's candidate in the Livingston by-election, said the figures were shocking. She said: "People will rightly be concerned that more and more offences are being carried out by people on bail.
"In West Lothian, we have seen the number of bail offences increase 16-fold in just eight years. This government has had plenty of time to get a grip on crime, but has failed to deliver.
"There is a general consensus that for people who commit serious offences - offences that cause harm - remand is more appropriate than bail."
Tory justice spokeswoman Margaret Mitchell described the figures as "more than alarming". She claimed part of the problem could lie with the decision to incorporate the European Convention on Human Rights into Scots law.
She said: "There is an issue of how that impacts on judges' ability to do what might be their first instinct and refuse bail, particularly where people have a record of sexual or violent abuse."
She welcomed the promise by the Scottish Executive of a statement on the issue, but added: "My experience has been that these announcements have often fallen far short of what is required so I do not have a great deal of confidence about what they are going to come up with."
Hugh Little, the deputy general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, said he was "hugely concerned" about the figures.
He said that less than half of the 9000 people who reoffended on bail last year were given extra punishment.
"Officers work particularly hard to arrest offenders, and it can be very frustrating when the courts do not appear to continue that theme, which can result in persons committing further crimes while on bail," he added.
"Committing an offence while on bail is tantamount to contempt of court, but that is rarely reflected in sentences."
In a report in April, the Sentencing Commission, set up by the Executive, recommended a tightening of the bail system. The Executive is set to make a statement responding to the Commission's proposals next week.
An Executive spokesman said: "We will be announcing a package of measures to create a tougher and tighter bail system. Bail decisions are made by sheriffs in the courts and that is a matter for them completely.
"What we are looking to do is provide a tougher, tighter system that is more consistent."
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