Sentencing guidelines offer greater leniency to addicts

New court guidelines recommend punishments as lenient as a fine for shop thieves - and suggest softer sentences for those with drink or drug addictions.

The guidance for judges and magistrates by the Sentencing Guidelines Council says a fine should be the starting point for an opportunist thief's first offence, but that those who target small independent retailers would be likely to attract a higher sentence.

However, violent offenders who use "significant intimidation or threats" or cause significant damage could face nothing more than a Community Order.

And judges and magistrates are asked to be more forgiving of those whose crimes are motivated by addiction - to alcohol, drugs, or gambling - and are stealing to feed their habit.

A Drug Rehabilitation Requirement (DRR) can be made part of a community sentence to ensure offenders receive treatment for drug or alcohol addiction.

Council member Judge Peter Beaumont QC said: "This does not make the offence any less serious, but it may be relevant to the choice of sentence.

"Our emphasis is that this approach may be appropriate in order to break the cycle of addiction and offending – a result which would benefit the community."

The move was welcomed by Addaction, the drug and alcohol treatment charity, which said people put on these orders were less likely to re-offend.

However, speaking in Parliament, Tory MP Henry Bellingham said: "Isn't there a likelihood this will be seen as a shoplifters' and burglars' charter?"

IMAGE Janet Hamlin/AP/PA Photos