Crime loophole - Bail fiasco needs to be confronted

SO, HALF of the serious crimes committed by people while they are on bail do not lead to a conviction, the offenders sometimes walk free.

Murder and rape, as well as drug dealing and robbery are just some of the headline offences for which those identified by gardaí as being the offenders escaped conviction. Over a two-year period, people on bail are believed to have committed almost 11,000 serious crimes, but only 5,178 convictions resulted.

The figures are contained in confidential Garda reports to the Department of Justice secured by the Irish Examiner only after the intervention of the Information Commissioner.