JUDGES have complete discretion to decide whether someone should be released on bail or not.

There are guidelines for them to follow, but the ultimate decision comes down to the justice presiding over the case.

But this system has failed one Great Harwood girl and her family after the nine-year-old was sexually assaulted by a teenager released on bail to his aunt’s house after being charged with raping another young girl.

To the ordinary man or woman in the street it seems barely believeable that someone who was suspected of such a heinous crime could have been allowed back into society.

Of course people are innocent until proven guilty, but surely in such a case the judge must take into account all the evidence of the case as well as the opinions of the police and crown prosecution service.

In this instance both organisations wanted the teenager locked up until his court case could be fully heard.

Justice Minister and Blackburn MP Jack Straw said the decision of Judge David Boulton was ‘unusual in the circumstances’.

And Hyndburn MP Greg Pope goes further by saying he was amazed and appalled that the youth was let out.

The time has come for hard and fast rules to be laid down about bail and crimes as serious this.

And there should be no other option available than custody.

Mr Straw needs to review the present guidelines so that judges have a lot less wriggle room to prevent terrible incidents like this happening again.