HERE are some of the Worcester criminals who dodged jail this Christmas, including a man caught with vile images of child rape, two men armed with knives and a greedy woman who fleeced her own family.
Following on from us putting the spotlight on those jailed over Christmas and New Year, today we share cases where criminals avoided a jail sentence over the festive period. Harsher conditions in jail due to the Covid-19 pandemic can and, according to the Court of Appeal, should be taken into account when sentencing defendants. The case of Manning is often quoted by defence advocates. Here they reflect on the observations made by the Lord Chief Justice on the emergency within the prison system as a consequence of coronavirus.