DPP warns his office is struggling to cope with huge increase in crime

THE Director of Public Prosecutions has warned that his office is struggling to cope with the massive increase in crime, with 12,300 suspects being processed by his staff in 2009 alone.

In his newly released annual report for that year, James Hamilton said, so far, his team had coped, but he added: “If there is any increase in the workload coming into the office, something will have to give.”

The sheer workload the DPP faces and the lag in seeing cases through to completion is evidenced by the fact the report can only give details for cases that were completed in 2008. Too many are still outstanding in 2009 to make reporting them worthwhile.

What Mr Hamilton is able to say about last year is that there were 12,299 suspects who were the subject of prosecution files in that year, compared with 11,529 in 2008.

In 4,114, or 33% of cases, no prosecution was directed with the biggest reason being insufficient evidence.

The DPP brought 30%, or 3,732, of the cases to either the Circuit, Central or Special Criminal Courts. Bar 1% of cases that are still under consideration, the rest, or 35%, were sent for prosecution in the District Court.

The figures for convictions in the report relate to 2008. Even then, of the 3,743 cases forwarded by the DPP to the Circuit, Central Criminal or Special Criminal Courts in 2008, 941 or 25% have not been heard.

Of those 3,743 cases, 2,622 or 70% resulted in a conviction, 91 (2%) resulted in an acquittal and 2% were struck out or discontinued.

Of the cases that resulted in conviction, the vast majority (93%) were as a result of a guilty plea and just 3% were as a result of conviction by a jury.

The Central Criminal Court had 96 cases forwarded to it by the DPP in 2008. Of those, 40 were cases of murder, three of attempted murder, 51 rapes, one aggravated sexual assault and one “assisting an offender”.

Of the murders, 13 resulted in a conviction, six in a conviction on a lesser charge (manslaughter), and 18 are still for hearing.

Of the rapes, 24 resulted in conviction for the charge, two in convictions on a lesser charge (aggravated sexual assault and sexual assault), six in acquittals and 19 are yet to be heard.

SAMPLE OF CASES COMPLETED BY DPP

The sample figures below relate to 2008:

* Murder: 19 cases of 40 were completed — 100% convictions.

* Rape: 32 cases of 51 were completed — 81% convictions.

* Child porn: Nine of 12 were completed — 100% convictions.

* Dangerous driving causing death: 31 of 43 were completed — 77% convictions.