Tens of thousands of criminals have been let off with several cautions in the same year, it emerged last night.

New figures show a big rise in the numbers being given a slap on the wrist.

In 2008, 3,013 got FOUR cautions or more, up by a fifth since 2000. Over the past nine years, some 23,600 had at least four in a year. And nearly 43,000 copped three in the same year from 2000 to 2008.

Shadow Home Office minister David Ruffley obtained the stats in a Parliamentary question.

He said: "It sends out the wrong message. The first caution should be the last."