Increase in number of murders committed by people on bail

Eleven people were murdered by people out on bail last year, according to new figures.

This compared to eight murders by people on bail in 2011, six in 2010, seven in 2009 and eight in 2008.

However, the total number of offences committed by people on bail last year was down considerably on the previous year. The total stood at 21,999 offences by people on bail last year compared to 24,481 in 2011.

The figures were released by the Department of Justice in response to a parliamentary question tabled by Fine Gael deputy Bernard Durkan.

Rapes committed by people released from custody on bail also decreased to six last year from ten the year before. Sexual assaults were also down.

Mr Durkan said that while there was no evident pattern, he was concerned that there had been an increase in some serious crimes committed by those released from custody in recent years.

He said it is time to consider the possibility of remanding suspects in custody in the case of graver offences.

“The problem is it’s a constitutional matter based on the innocence of a perpetrator until proven guilty,” he said.

“That is fair enough but previously the charged person was remanded in custody until trial but that changed in the 1960s.”

He said there were two main problems with the system as it is – suspects can either commit further crimes as demonstrated by the statistics or they can intimidate witnesses in forthcoming criminal trials.