Serial fraudster with more than 200 CONVICTIONS has been spared prison

A joyrider who stole his 42nd car and a burglar convicted of his 54th break-in also headed the list. 

The criminal, who the Ministry of Justice will not identify, was convicted of fraud and forgery – the 221st time he had been sentenced for this type of offence. 

The court imposed a fine. 

Details of the criminals were released by the Ministry of Justice in response to an inquiry about reoffending and the worst criminals who escaped a prison sentence in the last year.  

The fraudster had a 50-year criminal record, his extensive record including 221 offences of fraud, 79 of handling stolen goods, 38 of burglary and eight of criminal damage. 

He has also chalked up four sexual offences, two of violence, one robbery, a drugs offences and three offences committed outside England and Wales. 

Other offenders who escaped a prison sentence were a prolific offender who breached an anti-social behaviour order for the 133rd time, a pair found guilty of having child pornography for the fourth time and two people convicted of failing to comply with sex offenders’ restrictions for the 19th time. 

Last week Britain’s top police officer, Met Commissioner Cressida Dick, said teenagers should face “harsher and more effective” jail terms because they are not scared of the courts. 

The MoJ says sentencing guidelines include various non-custodial alternatives in an attempt to reduce the rate of reoffending.