A female serial offender with 390 previous convictions and a man with 291 previous convictions were spared jail sentences last year, official figures revealed.

The woman was given a sentence of one-day detention and the male offender was given an absolute discharge.

Tory MP Philip Davies, who uncovered the figures, said they showed "how weak our criminal justice system is".

The figures for previous years showed that: - In 2017 a woman with 366 previous convictions was given a one-day detention and a man with 284 convictions was ordered to pay compensation.

- In 2018 a woman with 376 previous convictions was given a conditional discharge, a man with 285 convictions was ordered to pay a fine and a man with 285 convictions was given a conditional discharge.

No details of their offences were given and the same offender could appear more than once if they had the highest number of previous convictions in different years.

Justice minister Lucy Frazer said: "Sentencing is a matter for our independent courts, who take into account all circumstances of the case, including any aggravating and mitigating factors.

"We are clear that sentencing must match the severity of a crime."

But Shipley MP Mr Davies said: "This goes to show how weak our criminal justice system is and how difficult it is to be sent to prison.

"The fact you can have 390-odd previous convictions and still not be sent to prison, most people would find absolutely staggering.

"It drives a coach and horses through the liberal, lefty orthodoxy on the criminal justice system that we have too many people in prison."