Lighter sentences in Dublin courts, figures reveal

CRIMINALS appearing before the circuit court in Dublin got lighter jail sentences than defendants in the provinces last year, new official figures reveal.

Of the 1,401 people convicted in Dublin of offences ranging from manslaughter to assault, a little more than a quarter (25.8%) got jail sentences of less than two years, while 21% got terms of two to five years.

The position was reversed at provincial circuit courts where fewer defendants got shorter sentences and more criminals got longer sentences.

Last year, 19% of the 1,055 defendants appearing before provincial courts got the shortest jail sentences of less than two years and 25.8% went to prison for two to five years.

Similarly in cases where criminals were jailed for five to 10 years, the proportion of criminals in Dublin going to jail was 3.1% — or 44 defendants — against 4.7% — or 50 offenders — in the provinces. Last year, Dublin courts jailed two criminals for 10 or more years compared with three in the provinces.

The most common outcome for a defendant convicted in the circuit courts inside or outside Dublin last year was a suspended sentence, which means that defendants are spared prison but will be jailed if they reoffend during a set period.

Last year, 596 criminals received suspended sentences before the Dublin courts, equating to 42.5% of those convicted, compared with 457 or 43.4% in the provinces.

Figures released by the Court Service yesterday also show the unpopularity of the community service sentence.

Last year, just 1% of convictions in the provincial circuit courts ended in such a sentence against 5.1% in Dublin.

The number of cases ending in a monetary fine was 32 in Dublin (2.3% of all convictions) against 63 (6%) outside the capital.

The Court Service revealed the circuits courts, which deal with all serious crime apart from murder and rape, dealt with 21% more trials in 2006 than the year before.

A 44% reduction in the number of appeals from minor courts meant circuit court judges were able to get on with their main business of overseeing trials of people accused of serious crimes.

The fall in appeals has also meant the waiting times for trials in provincial circuit courts is below six months generally, said Court Service spokesman Gerry Curran.

Additional resources at 15 circuit courts has also meant the waiting time for appeals from the lesser district courts has also shortened, he said.