Police are letting off sex offenders if they say sorry

Some 870 – including five child rape cases – have been dealt with by “community resolution” in just two years.

Perverts have to admit their guilt and apologise – but escape punishment and do not even get a criminal record.

The scheme is meant to be used for cuffing off low level crimes such as shoplifting but some police forces are applying to rape, flashing and child grooming cases

Victims are asked for their opinion but official guidance says their view is “not definitive”.

Police forces are supposed to use community resolution only to wind up low level crimes like shoplifting.

But policies vary wildy from county to county, as some use it to settle rape, flashing and child grooming cases.

South Yorkshire Police, which was shamed over the bungled Rotherham abuse scandal, used the scheme to deal with the most sex crimes – 78.

Officers in Durham, Cheshire and Nottinghamshire all used it for the rape of girls under 13.

Merseyside cops dealt with the rape of a girl under 16 this way.

Police in Norfolk did likewise over the rape of a young boy, and Derbyshire and Devon & Cornwall also used community resolutions in rape offences.

Since 2020, seven rape cases, five involving children, were dealt with by community ­resolution, Home Office figures show.

There were 414 sexual assaults – 349 on girls and women. And 23 cases of grooming and 166 of exposure or voyeurism were resolved the same way.