Almost 4,000 arrest warrants were issued last year for people who failed to turn up to court in West Yorkshire.

Ministry of Justice figures show 3,794 “failure to appear” warrants were issued in magistrates courts in the West Yorkshire Local Criminal Justice Board area in 2019 – a 9% drop on 2018.

With 132,000 court hearings in West Yorkshire last year, it meant that “failure to appear” warrants were needed in around 2.9% of cases – well below the 3.6% national average.

Almost 60% of the warrants were issued for offences such as theft and burglary which can be heard in either magistrates’ courts or crown courts.

Legal charity, Transform Justice, says the warrants are a waste of police time and an unfair punishment.

Charity director, Penelope Gibbs, said: “Someone who doesn’t turn up for their court hearing may not have got the letter, or may have mental health problems or lead a chaotic life.

“They should of course turn up, but maybe the response to failure to appear may need to be different.”

Ms Gibbs said “failure to appear” warrants were a poor use of police resources, particularly for people who “seldom pose an immediate threat to public safety.”

She suggested the use of text messages to remind people about trial dates and giving them a second chance to come to court if they can be reached by phone.

John Bache, national chairman of the Magistrates’ Association, said the number of “failure to appear” warrants being issued was still very concerning.

“When people do not attend court when required to do so, it leads to delays in the justice system, which is a waste of scarce resources and may also be upsetting for victims,” he said.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said the warrants ensured people attended court and prevented further delays, but that the decision to issue them was a matter for the independent judiciary.

Instances of warrants not backed for bail issued by Bradford and Keighley Magistrates last month include:

Man aged 33 of no fixed abode.

Warrant for arrest without bail. Basis: no appearance in answer to bail. Charge: Being a relevant offender under the Sexual Offences Act, failed without reasonable excuse to register within 7 days you are of No Fixed Abode or register any other address at a Police Station.

Man aged 28 from Bradford.

Warrant for arrest without bail. Basis: the offence is punishable with imprisonment.

Charge: At Bradford drove dangerously on Bowling Back Lane, Plantrees Road, Leeds road, Gilpin Street and Barkerend Road.

Woman aged 35 from Bradford.

Warrant for arrest without bail. Basis: no appearance in answer to bail. Charge: At Bradford, assaulted an emergency worker, namely a paramedic

Woman aged 28 from Bradford.

Warrant for arrest without bail. Basis: the offence is punishable with imprisonment.

Charges: At Bradford drove on Paley Road while disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence, and drove while uninsured.

Woman aged 43 from Bradford.

Warrant for arrest without bail. Basis: no appearance in answer to bail.

Charge: At CO OP 5-7 FAIR ROAD, WIBSEY, BRADFORD, stole 7 boxes of formulated baby milk, to the value of £77.

Man aged 32 from Bradford.

Warrant for arrest without bail. Basis: no appearance in answer to bail.

Charge: At BRADFORD in a public place, namely BRADFORD MAGISTRATES COURT, were guilty, while drunk, of disorderly behaviour.

Woman aged 22 from Halifax.

Warrant for arrest without bail. Basis: no appearance in answer to bail.

Charges: At TESCO STORES LIMITED, HAUGH SHAW ROAD, SAVILE PARK, HALIFAX, stole a quantity of alcohol, and three more similar offences.

Man aged 18 from Bradford.

Warrant of arrest for community penalty breach without bail. Basis: failed to comply with community order made by Bradford Magistrates Court.

Charge: Failing to attend an induction appointment which is part of your Unpaid Work Requirement.

Woman aged 40 from Bradford.

Warrant for arrest without bail. Basis: no appearance in answer to bail.

Charge: A sample having been taken from you under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and analysis of that sample revealed that a Class A drug, namely cocaine and heroin, may be present in your body, you failed to attend an initial assessment to establish whether you were dependent upon or had a propensity to misuse a Class A drug.

Man aged 40 from Halifax

Warrant for arrest without bail. Basis: the offence is punishable with imprisonment.

Charges: At Halifax were in charge of a motor vehicle at LONG CAN PUBLIC HOUSE, OVENDEN WOOD ROAD, HALIFAX, after consuming so much alcohol that the proportion of it in your breath, namely 68 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, exceeded the prescribed limit. In charge of a motor vehicle when the proportion of a controlled drug, namely Benzoylecgonine, in your blood, namely greater than 120 micrograms of drug per litre of blood, exceeded the specified limit.