'Pub bar is feared more than our courts'.

Byline: By OWEN HUGHES 

CRIMINALS fear being banned from the pub more than facing the courts, a North Wales police inspector has said.

Holyhead's Inspector Andy Williams told the Daily Post that persistent crooks on Anglesey were more concerned with being placed on the town's Pubwatch banning list than any penalty imposed by the criminal justice system.

He said: "When they are arrested and we tell them they are off to court they shrug their shoulders, but tell them they are banned from the pubs and they start to plead with you.

"I am proud the scheme is having such an effect but it is also a sad state of affairs that they are not concerned about court."

Inspector Williams decided to speak out after becoming frustrated by the criminal justice system.

He said: "I've lost count of the number of times police have arrested particular persons officially known as 'persistent offenders', have then put them before the court to be later told they have yet again been bailed with the same conditions they had before.

"They are called 'persistent' for a reason, we have their bail history and we have the conditions that they have breached again, and again; the very conditions that were designed to protect the community from their offending.

"When speaking to one or two of the individuals concerned, they honestly find it amusing. I hasten to add that I do not blame our local courts for this.

"They are bogged down in the politics of the government of today, which I feel has some extremely pressing issues in terms of both prison populations and the balance between punishment and rehabilitation."

Launched in 2007 the Pubwatch scheme has 50 banned drinkers on its list.

They are barred from entering 40 establishments in Holyhead, Valley, Gwalchmai, Bryngwran and Rhosneigr.