Deportation threat for foreign petty criminals

FOREIGNERS who persistently commit petty crimes here face deportation under a tough new policy announced today.

It is long-established that non-British citizens convicted of serious offences in the Bailiwick risk being sent from the islands.

This is now being extended to include those who persistently commit lower-level infringements such as shoplifting, drunk and disorderly and traffic offences.

'During a recent case in the Magistrate's Court, the magistrate made it clear to a non-British offender who had committed numerous lower-level offences over a period of time that his history of re-offending worked to the detriment of the community – not only in terms of the ongoing threat the person presented, but also in terms of the resources that are engaged in the detection and prosecution of those crimes,' said Patrick Rice, Head of Law Enforcement in the Bailiwick, pictured.

'While the crimes of which he was convicted were not the most serious individually, the history of re-offending was taken into account and a recommendation for deportation was made.'