POLICE have let off more than 1,000 sex pests with just a slap on the wrist - including 25 rapists in the last four years The Sun on Sunday can reveal.

The figures include 21 perverts who had previously been cautioned for a sexual offence including assaults on children.

Ann Coffey MP, who has warned that the criminal justice system is not fit for purpose in its handling of rape cases because of low charging and conviction rates, said she was appalled by the figures.

Ms Coffey, who is the chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Runaway and Missing Children and Adults, and has written two independent reports into child sexual exploitation in Greater Manchester, said: “These figures are alarming and send out the wrong message.

“It is shocking that men who have admitted they are guilty of sex crimes against women and children are merely being ‘ticked off’ and then allowed to walk our streets again with impunity and under the cloak of invisibility.”

Figures released under freedom of information laws by 22 Police forces showed 1,189 of the sex offenders were slapped with a caution in the last four years.

This means the sex beasts crimes are not officially recorded as such they are not on the sex offenders register and it may not show up on DBS checks.

Rachel Krys, Co-director of End Violence Against Women Coalition, said: “We need more of a light shone on exactly what happens to those charged with rape and those who admit rape, because it is such a harmful crime.

We’ve been calling for a review to end the way police and courts tackle rape, and that should include looking at how decisions like these are made

Rachel Krys, Co-Director Of End Violence Against Women Coalition
“We’ve been calling for a review to end the way police and courts tackle rape, and that should include looking at how decisions like these are made.”

Government guidelines say that in order to be cautioned the criminal must accept they are guilty - if they do not they can be arrested or charged.

They say “cautions are given to anyone aged 10 or over for minor crimes”.

Thames Valley Police allowed 13 rapists to be let off with just a caution - the highest number of all forces.

Derbyshire gave five cautions for rape, Gwent, Staffordshire and West Midlands gave two each.

The Sun asked all 43 forces for the crimes that had been dealt with by rape, by six forces refused to disclose and the others - including London’s Met and Greater Manchester - did not respond when asked.

Two sex beasts who had been grooming children in Staffordshire were handed a caution while Devon and Cornwall Police handed one to a man soliciting sexual services from a child.

A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: “Thames Valley Police complies with Force and Ministry of Justice’s guidance in relation to adult and youth cautions.

“The sanction for the offence is not only dependent on the offence classification but also takes into consideration the individual circumstances.

“In some cases a caution may be given for a sexual offence.

"For example, where both the victim and suspect are children, if the offence is non recent or where it is not in the best interests of the victim for a case to go to trial. Where relevant this is in consultation with the victim.”