Riots data reveals a quarter of those in court had been in prison before, but also shows sentences are tougher than usual

This article is more than 9 years old

This article is more than 9 years old

The sentences handed down to convicted rioters by the courts have been more draconian than previously thought but nearly three-quarters of those appearing in court had criminal records.

However, the average jail terms handed down were two to three times longer than normal, according to the latest Ministry of Justice data.

The official statistics, released on Thursday, back up claims by the justice secretary, Kenneth Clarke, that a "hardcore of the criminal classes" were involved in the riots, with 73% of those put before the courts having previous criminal convictions – and one third of that number having served a prison sentence before.

Those with criminal records have an average of 15 offences each. Overall, 26% had served time in prison previously.

However, MoJ statisticians stressed that the latest sentencing data, up to Monday of this week, also shows that some people – particularly teenagers – were being drawn into the criminal justice system for the first time.

The data shows that the 176 people so far jailed over the riots have been sentenced to an average of 11.1 months. The detailed figures show that those convicted of burglary during the riots – generally looting – have been jailed for 14.1 months, compared with the normal rate of 8.8 months, a sentence some 60% longer than normal.

Those convicted of violent disorder are being jailed for 10.4 months compared with 5.3 months normally, and those convicted of theft are getting sentences three times as long: 7.1 months compared with a normal rate of 2.4 months.

The figures also show a much more hardline approach to using prison sentences, with 43% of those sentenced so far by magistrates being sent to jail compared with a normal custody rate of 12%.

Clarke said the figures confirmed that "existing criminals were on the rampage".

He added: "I am dismayed to see that a hardcore of repeat offenders back in the system. This reinforces my determination to introduce radical changes to ensure both effective punishment and reform to tackle reoffending."