Criminals failed to carry out 1.1million hours of community work over six months
The Government is urging courts to use
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The Government is urging courts to use non-custodial punishment instead of jail due to overcrowding
But the latest probation service data obtained under freedom of information laws shows that from January 1 to June 30 last year, 1,113,310 hours' unpaid work was not carried out in England and Wales.
Community orders ranging from 40 to 300 hours are normally given for offences such as theft, assaults and criminal damage but are often imposed on top of
The unpaid work can include removing graffiti and helping charities.
Ex-Met detective chief inspector Mick Neville said: 'We are told that rather than sending villains to jail, they'll be punished by working in the community.
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'But thousands of offenders aren't doing what they've been ordered to do.
"Criminals are laughing at the justice system.'
The Ministry of Justice said work may not have been done due to court orders expiring or being revoked and offenders being deported, taken into custody or dying.
Meanwhile, London's Met Police revealed there were 4,527 breaches by offenders on electronic tags over the same six months — yet only 1,054 resulted in an arrest.
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Mr Neville said: 'It's unacceptable that just 23 per cent of tag breaches resulted in police action.
"This just tells criminals that they can get away with breaking curfews or entering areas excluded to them.'
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Community orders are normally given for offences such as theft, assaults and criminal damage
Credit: Getty
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