The rate at which criminals reoffend in Bradford has plunged by 13.6 per cent, according to figures compiled by the Ministry of Justice. West Yorkshire was one of the best performing probation trusts in the country for the year to the end of June, the report found. West Yorkshire Probation has significantly reduced adult reoffending for the thirteenth consecutive quarter, and all districts of the county saw statistically significant falls.

Maggie Smallridge, head of probation in Bradford, said: “Our aim is to hold offenders to account for the crime they committed, but also to work with them to ensure that they don’t offend again.

“It is wonderful to see that our hard work is achieving real results, demonstrating that probation is incredibly effective and a viable alternative to short prison sentences.

“However, the work doesn’t stop there and we’ll be continuing to work in partnership with other local agencies to strive to make our communities safer.”