VIOLENT criminals are among those who escaped prosecution after Dorset police dealt with more than 400 crimes in six months through community resolutions.

Ministry of Justice data shows crimes including drugs trafficking, assault, burglary and stalking were handled informally and not taken to court by Dorset Police.

Between April and September last year, the force used community resolutions to resolve 430 investigations.

They do not appear on criminal records, are not convictions and would not be disclosed to employers carrying out basic background checks with the Disclosure and Barring Scheme.

Designed to tackle low level offending, they can only be used where offenders admit guilt, with their use for serious crimes risking "undermining public faith in the criminal justice system", according to the Criminal Bar Association.

While they are mostly used as intended for minor crimes like shoplifting or cannabis possession, Dorset officers issued them for crimes that could otherwise have resulted in a spell behind bars.

They were used to close 1.8 per cent of cases, including 144 violent offences, two weapons related offences and two sex crimes.

Criminal Bar Association chair James Mulholland QC said the disposals "had their place in a functioning justice system" but should not be used as an alternative to prosecutions for serious offences, adding: "Anything less and faith in law and order begins to crumble."

For a community resolution to be used, offenders must confess and agree to make amends for their crime, while victim consent should be sought. In all but the most exceptional of circumstances, police cannot enforce any agreements between victim and offender.

A Dorset Police spokeswoman said the force implemented the nationally recommended two-tier framework for adult out-of-court disposals.

"This means that only two disposals are issued to adult offenders, community resolutions and conditional cautions," said the spokeswoman. "Both disposals allow officers to attach conditions to them – rehabilitative, reparative and or punitive, which aim to reduce re-offending.

"Offenders are often issued a community resolution for a first offence and if they offend again they are issued a conditional caution or are charged to court. The two-tier framework provides a suitable escalation process to ensure that offenders with little or no offending history who have committed low level offences are dealt with out of court providing swifter justice to the victim and reducing the demand on the courts.

"This is even more important currently due to the impact that COVID-19 has had on the criminal justice system."

Dorset Police only consider community resolutions to be suitable for very low-level assaults where there is either no injury or a very minor injury, such as reddening to the skin of a slight bruise," said the spokeswoman.

She added: "The offender must have no previous out-of-court disposals or convictions for violent offences and they must fully admit the offence.

"In all cases the officer in the case consults with the victim and in the majority of cases they are supportive of the community resolution decision."

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said forces were expected to enforce the law, adding that community resolutions should only be used by police for low-level or first-time offending, and made with the victim's explicit agreement.