AN MP is to seek answers from West Yorkshire's Chief Constable after figures were revealed suggesting that offenders who admit sexual activity with children under 13 were being let off with a police caution.

Shipley Conservative MP Philip Davies has obtained Government figures which he says show that eight people were cautioned for the offence in West Yorkshire in 2013 - more than any other force in the UK except Kent.

Mr Davies said 26 people in the county were given cautions between 2009 and 2013 after admitting sexual activity with a child under 13.

The figures were revealed by Justice Minister Simon Hughes in response to a Parliamentary question from Mr Davies.

He asked for a breakdown for all forces, initially for under-16s, but then narrowed it down to under-13s, to avoid grey areas such as teenagers experimenting with consensual sex.

He said: "Sexual activity with children under 13 is not a grey area. There are no excuses. It is completely unacceptable."

Mr Davies is a parent of children aged nine and 11. He said: "Parents of kids that age want to see people who admit sexual activity brought before the courts. We pride ourselves on our justice system but the use of cautions in these cases is undermining it. The courts are the appropriate place for people to be punished."

The MP described cautions as a slap on the wrist and said it was appalling they were used in such cases.

And he said offenders should be named and shamed in open court.

"The public has a right to know when these people are found guilty. Part of their punishment is the publicity generated."

Mr Davies claimed that police were acting as judge and jury in terms of guilt and punishment.

"They are not treating these crimes as seriously as the overwhelming majority of the public, particularly parents, want."

He added: "I will raise the issue with the Chief Constable and be asking for a complete change in how the police deal with these cases."

Mr Hughes said the Government had changed the rules to stop cautions being given for serious offences and planned to scrap their use.

Mr Davies said: "I welcome scrapping cautions."

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "We have been made aware of the figures provided by the Ministry of Justice to Mr Davies and are looking into the individual circumstances.

“The cautioning of offenders is an option available to prosecuting bodies when making a decision into how offenders should be dealt with in respect of criminal investigations and can only be administered where the offence is admitted.

"The decision relies on a wide range of factors including the wishes of the victim (including their reluctance in supporting a prosecution), the antecedents of the offender and any other aggravating/mitigating circumstances.

“The decision to deal with offences against children by way of caution, reprimand or final warning is not taken lightly and is only made after careful consideration of the merits of the case.

"Cases where a caution is appropriate could include the commission of sexual offences between consenting young people (typically in a teenage relationship) where one or both have not yet reached the age of consent. The consequence of a conviction in these circumstances is likely to be disproportionate to the offence and as such a caution provides an appropriate means of resolving the situation.

“The Crown Prosecution Service is routinely involved, at an early stage, in considering the more complex/difficult cases and, in those case of offenders who themselves are children; the opinion of specialists within the Youth Offending Service is also sought."