Dozens of criminals walk free after escaping being fitted with electronic tags as IT system collapse sees 3,000 messages fail to be sent to criminal justice agencies

• Criminals escaped being fitted with an electronic tag when IT system collapsed
• Computer system failed to send 3,000 messages to criminal justice agencies 

Dozens of criminals escaped being fitted with an electronic tag when an IT system collapsed, it has emerged.

A controversial computer system in the courts, called Common Platform, failed to send out more than 3,000 messages to criminal justice agencies.

More than 300 of the unsent messages were later found to have potentially ‘affected justice outcomes’, a report by the National Audit Office found.

It said: ‘In 35 cases an individual was not fitted with an electronic monitoring tag when they should have been.’

The Ministry of Justice was unable to say last night if any of the offenders had been convicted of a sexual or violent crime.

Dozens of criminals escaped being fitted with an electronic tag when an IT system collapsed, it has emerged (File image)

The Ministry of Justice said: ‘No offences were reported by the 35 defendants who were temporarily untagged’ (File image)

The problem lasted from June 2021 to August last year. HM Courts and Tribunals Service had to pause its rollout for two weeks while the problems were investigated. ‘The system could not cope with the volume of notifications,’ said the watchdog’s report, published today.

‘HMCTS has since completed an extended review, which has recommended that it works with partners to identify a more robust mechanism for exchanging data rather than the current email route.’ The NAO said the system had been introduced ‘before it was ready’, creating ‘extra burdens for courts when they were already under pressure’.

HMCTS now expects to make £2billion in savings over the lifetime of the programme – £310million less than it estimated in 2019 – auditors said.

Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, said Common Platform had ‘put avoidable pressure on the courts at a critical time’.

He added the HMCTS must also ‘secure value for money from the £1.3billion of taxpayers’ money it has invested’.

The Ministry of Justice said: ‘No offences were reported by the 35 defendants who were temporarily untagged.’

Source: Read Full Article