Measure to divert low-level offences outside courts

Low-level offenders will be given the chance to avoid court and possible prison terms under new measures coming into force in the New Year.

Under the scheme set to be approved by the Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald, adults who have committed relatively minor crimes will be diverted from the courts.

Instead they will be sent to educational, community and rehabilitation programmes as part of a Community Justice Intervention scheme, to be led by the Probation Service.

The Irish Independent reports offences like public drunkenness, aggressive begging, illegal trading and criminal damage will fall under the scheme.

One examples is addiction programmes for offenders who are consistently found to be drunk and disorderly in public.