'Soft' magistrates must toughen up on burglars, says Hounslow's top cop (From Your Local Guardian)

'Soft' magistrates must toughen up on burglars, says Hounslow's top cop

6:50am Saturday 6th February 2010 in

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Judges and magistrates are too soft when deciding whether to grant bail to suspected burglars, Hounslow’s top cop said.

Borough commander Chief Superintendent David Bilson called for the courts to keep defendants in prison throughout their cases as he outlined his plans for reducing crime figures.

Residential burglaries in Hounslow soared by nearly a fifth last year.

Chief Supt Bilson said: “We are concerned at the number of burglars who get bailed from court, that is an issue.

“We do get people arrested and charged and put them before the court, and then they are back on the street.

“We generally oppose bail for burglaries for all those who have been in custody, and we would encourage the courts to be more supportive of that.

“This is a particular problem for Hounslow citizens, and I think we probably should be doing more to protect them.

“Most of the burglars we bring before the court are repeat and active offenders.”

Hounslow’s top cop this week outlined his strategy for tackling burglary, including empowering residents through more neighbourhood watch schemes and encouraging homeowners to protect their houses.

He has also enlarged his specialist burglary squad, and officers will focus on drug hot spots “particularly in the Heston area” to clamp down on addicts who turn to crime to fund their habit.

Police have been visiting pawnbrokers to seize stolen valuables, and the force’s number plate recognition van has been on the lookout for criminal gangs entering the borough.

Chief Supt Bilson said he was confident he had the manpower to reduce burglaries, despite the Metropolitan Police facing millions of pounds worth of funding cuts.

He said: “I would always welcome more police, I should love to have more officers but I’m realistic about the economic reality we are in.

“I don’t think it’s any big secret the service is facing big reductions, and in time we will have to face reductions here.

“But what we can do is implement those changes so the public will not see a difference or less of a service or a detriment to our presence on the street.”

Stab sentence review

Chief Supt David Bilson revealed he personally asked for a review of the sentence of a 14-year-old gang member who walked free from court after stabbing another teenager.

Solicitor General Vera Baird referred the case to the Court of Appeal as a “possible unduly lenient sentence” earlier this month.

The thug knifed a 15-year-old six times in the chest in Redlees Park, Isleworth, on June 17 last year.

But Judge Hezlett Colgan gave him a three-year supervision order at Isleworth Crown Court on December 11.

Chief Supt Bilson said: “I was one of those who asked the Crown Prosecution Service to have that case referred.

"Without commenting on the individual sentence and the comments of the judge, young people in Hounslow have the right to be protected from violence.

"The police service and central Government has made a promise they will be protected and people who carry knives will pay the price for it, and that sentence didn’t seem to reflect that.

“I wanted to make sure we have done all we can to make sure we keep young people safe.

“If it goes to the Court of Appeal and the judges look at it and say it was appropriate, we will respect and observe that.”