SENTENCING GUIDELINES FOR SERIAL OFFENDERS

That this House notes the release of Mr Bradley Wernham, after serving only 18 months in prison of a five-year sentence; is concerned that Mr Wernham, dubbed the One-Man Crime Wave in Essex, admitted to at least 662 crimes before being sentenced, only to be released 560 days later, which is less than one day in prison per crime; further notes that his crimes include the theft of cars, motorbikes and cash worth a total of 1 million over a six-year period and smashing his way into homes, pubs and even a local church; is further concerned that this is not the first time that leniency has been shown to Mr Wernham, as in 2009 he was spared a prison sentence and was given 150 hours of unpaid work on a community order, plus the keys to a rent-free flat and a college course, but that after one month he was caught breaking and entering into a house; and therefore calls on the Government seriously to examine this and similar cases, with a view to toughening up sentencing guidelines.