Two youths who took part in a series of violent robberies at mobile phone shops across London and the south-east have avoided custodial sentences, prompting criticism that the justice system is failing to keep young offenders off the streets. The gang stormed stores wearing masks, threatened staff and forced them to open stockrooms and safes to steal high-value phones. Shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy condemned the outcome as "an utter disgrace," arguing prison works and accusing Labour of pursuing youth justice policies that let dangerous offenders roam free.

One youth received a 12-month intensive referral order, while the other was given a 12-month youth rehabilitation order alongside a 12-month supervision order, both alternatives to time in a young offenders' institution that typically involve 25 hours a week of youth justice activities. The Metropolitan Police tried to secure behaviour orders barring the pair from contacting co-defendants or entering phone shops, but the courts rejected the application; an adult member of the same gang was previously jailed for three years. The case follows warnings from Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley that violent suspects, including those facing gun and knife charges, are increasingly being freed on bail, with electronic tag breaches by bailed suspects in England and Wales now running at roughly 3,000 a week and London breaches up nearly 50 per cent since January.