One in eight crimes last year carried out by people on bail

Almost 26,000 crimes, including 6,214 thefts and 1,377 burglaries last year, were committed by individuals who had been released from custody while awaiting trial for a separate offence.

They equate to 10% of all thefts and 7% of all burglaries over the period.

Individuals on bail were also responsible for two homicides as well as 24 rapes and sexual assaults during 2016.

Figures provided by the Central Statistics Office show 25,543 offences out of 198,634 of all crimes recorded by gardaí last year were carried out by people on bail.

Although overall crime levels have fallen continuously since 2011, including a 1.6% reduction last year, the proportion of offences committed by those on bail has grown over the same period.

More than 144,500 offences by people on bail have now been logged in the past six years. CSO figures show 11% of 442 homicides over the period were by offenders granted bail — a total of 48 violent deaths.

Criminals out on bail are most likely to be involved in robberies and weapons and firearms offences with official figures showing they are responsible for almost a fifth of such crimes.

Bail offenders committed more than 2,800 robberies and almost 2,900 firearm offences since 2011 – 18% of the total of both crime categories.

They were also responsible for over 34,000 thefts and more than 10,700 burglaries and a similar number of drug offences.

People on bail also committed more than 27,000 public order offences between 2011 and 2016 — 12% of all such offences.

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said she had published the Bail (Amendment) Bill last December as part of the Government’s response to crime in order to provide for stricter bail terms for repeat serious offenders. She said the proposed legislation would also strengthen Garda powers to deal with breaches of bail conditions.