Police forces are operating like a “one-stop shop for justice”, according to magistrates furious at the number of cautions being handed out for sex and violence offences.

Figures out yesterday revealed that 1,453 self-confessed sex criminals were cautioned nationally in the year to September 2012.

Outside London, Kent was the highest with 69 issued and West Yorkshire issued 57 such cautions.

“That’s just the tip of the iceberg,” said John Fassenfelt, national chairman of the Magistrates’ Association.

“Nationally 19 rapists were cautioned and 15 per cent of all sex offenders accepted cautions. That’s one in six cases – and that just doesn’t feel right.

“Fifty per cent of all violent crimes are being dealt with by cautions.”

But Shipley Conservative MP Philip Davies said although too many cautions were being given for sex and violence offences, magistrates should not be too ready to cast the first stone.

He said: “Before they get too high and mighty, it is the case the police tear their hair out at the too-lenient sentences handed out by magistrates.

“I’ve been to those courts and been shocked by the derisory sentences – they should start by handing out some decent punishments.

“That being said, there are a number of reasons why this may be happening with cautions as it does also suit police by appearing to clear up crimes. Another aspect is a feeling the Crown Prosecution Service will only proceed with cast-iron cases.”

Bradford East Liberal Democrats MP David Ward said it was crucial to avoid knee-jerk reaction to any new statistics.

“Recently we’ve been talking about the high number of custodial sentences given out – maybe this is part of the pressure to avoid that. I thought we had moved on from the Blairite obsession with targets, but we need to find out what exactly is behind this.”

West Yorkshire Police Federation chairman Jon Christopher said while the cautioning system was open to potential abuse, there were a lot of reasons other than pressure on officers to meet crime clear-up targets.

“For example – in a domestic assault, one minute the person might want their attacker locking up, and the next might be back in love with them. But the case still has to be dealt with somehow,” Mr Christopher said.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “Cautions are issued only after careful consideration has been given to the full circumstances and are made in line with Home Office guidelines.

“While arrest remains the most widely used method for dealing with criminal cases, cautions are useful because they give some people a ‘second chance’ allowing them to learn their lesson and to avoid a lengthy and unnecessary journey through the Courts. But it is important to remember a caution is not a mere ‘slap on the wrist’. The person has to admit guilt meaning they receive a criminal record.”