More than 30,000 convicted of crime while on bail, new figures show

More than 30,000 people have been convicted of crimes – including almost 30 homicides – while on bail in a three-year stretch, new figures show.

Some 29 people have committed murder or culpable homicide while waiting to be prosecuted for another offence between 2017-18 and 2019-20, according to a freedom of information request by the Scottish Tories.

According to the figures, 31,211 people were convicted of a crime while on bail, with the figure jumping to 42,282 when those convicted of breaching their bail conditions were included.

More than 500 people (557) were convicted of attempted murder or serious assault, while 372 were found guilty of robbery.

The highest number of convictions of those on bail was for breach of the peace (7,176).

Scottish Tory justice spokesman Jamie Greene described the figures as “shocking”.

“These figures show the risk of letting dangerous criminals back on to our streets,” he said.

“It is shocking to see such a consistently high proportion of crimes being committed by those who were supposed to be monitored – it is clear the current arrangements for monitoring those on bail are inadequate.”

The Scottish Government, in a document published at the start of a consultation on justice policies, proposed an end to the requirement to deny bail if an accused is believed to be a flight risk, instead focusing on the dangers an accused presents to the community.

The document said denying bail on the basis of fears the accused will not appear at court is “focused on the efficient operation of the justice system” as opposed to public safety.

While accepting there “is obvious merit” to ensuring the justice system runs smoothly, the document said, there needed to be a balance struck “against the negative impact of undue use of remand, given what is known about the disruptiveness of short periods of custody and, in this context, deprivation of liberty being imposed on those not convicted of any offence”.