SUSPECTED criminals allowed out on bail by courts and the police are breaking the law almost three times a day, the Oxford Mail can reveal.

Figures obtained from Thames Valley Police under the Freedom of Information Act revealed that suspects were charged with 1,008 offences they committed while on bail last year.

These included: l Three sex attacks l 85 assaults l One firearms incident l 79 drug offences.

Last night, victims and their families accused the authorities of being too lenient by giving offenders bail rather than remanding them in custody.

Banbury MP Tony Baldry said he believed prison over-crowding was behind decisions not to order more remands in custody.

Last year, the Oxford Mail revealed that convicted paedophile David Cullen, formerly of Blackbird Leys, raped a boy in February 2007 after being given bail at Oxford Crown Court while accused of other child sex offences.

The mother of one of the 48-year-old’s victims said: “The figures are a disgrace. They’re appalling.

“These people are making a mockery of the system. There’s no deterrent. If the Government is going to keep these people on the streets, supervise them properly.

“The rights of the offenders are being put higher than the rights of the victims.”

Among those flouting bail conditions was Oxford burglar Richard Sawyer, who was jailed for three years earlier this month.

The 30-year-old was on bail for two other burglaries when filmed by Steve Eastwood breaking into a house in Risinghurst last November.

Mr Eastwood said there had to be a balance between the rights of alleged offenders and their victims. He added: “The police obviously knew he was up to no good, but had no powers to deal with it.”

Nikita Higson, then 18, of Abingdon Road, Oxford, was jailed for 14 months last July for attempted robbery and assaulting a policeman while on bail.

And retired clergyman Christopher Walker, then 56, of Abingdon, was jailed for 26 weeks for assaulting his wife Rachel last June despite bail conditions banning him from visiting the family home, because of an earlier attack.

Supt Steven Hockin, head of criminal justice for Thames Valley Police, said: “The law says there’s a presumption of bail, unless there are reasonable grounds to object.

“Where we have got the grounds to object, we will.

“My stance is always that the rights of the public should come above the rights of the offender, but nonetheless they should be granted the basic rights we all expect, which say you’re innocent until proven guilty.”

Bullingdon Prison, near Bicester, had only 58 spare places on January 30 – the latest date available – and Mr Baldry said the release of so many people on bail could be down to overcrowded jails.

Mr Baldry said: “The magistrates’ courts are under enormous pressure not to remand people in custody even on offences where it is likely, if they are convicted, they will receive a custodial sentence.”

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “The decision on whether or not to grant a bail application is a matter for the independent judiciary.

“The Government has introduced new, stricter bail criteria for defendants charged with the most serious offences, those who fail to appear in court when required or who committed their offence while on bail.”

esimmonds@oxfordmail.co.uk