Britain's most senior police officer has condemned the "uncontrollable" rise in the number of soft penalties being handed to criminals of violent crimes. Skip related content
Sir Paul Stephenson, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, said criminals of "theft and thuggery" are escaping with the equivalent of a "parking ticket".
He was speaking as official figures showed a vast increase in the number of offenders receiving multiple cautions or on-the-spot fines.
Sir Paul said officers have been encouraged to hand out punishments to ease pressure on the courts and prison system.
He told The Sunday Times: "It's put the police in the correctional business, instead of what we should be in, the law and order business, preventing and detecting crime."
The commissioner said more criminals, in particular violent offenders, need to appear before magistrates.
"We've all come across examples - I'm personally aware of a recent case where a thug hit a smaller lad, from behind, without provocation, shifting his teeth," he said.
"The shock felt by the victim and a number of people present was palpable. What was the outcome? (The assailant) received a police caution.
"I cannot imagine anyone would see this as justice."
New figures show that a total of 2.2 million people were cautioned between 2000 and 2008, including more than 550,000 who were given repeat cautions.
Of those, 51,874 had been cautioned four times and 104,915 on three occasions.
Tributes have been paid to a schoolgirl who died after slipping in her high heels and falling under a train while waving goodbye to her friends.
