OFFENDERS working in their communities after being sentenced for criminal offences have contributed thousands of hours in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Rehabilitation Company (HIOW CRC), which is responsible for supervising offenders on Community Payback and ensuring they comply with their sentence delivered more than 17,000 hours in the first quarter of 2018.

With the national wage standing at £7.83 that equates to £135,000 of work delivered.

Those ordered to take on unpaid community payback work participate in a range of manual tasks, including removing graffiti, litter picking, clearing parks and cemeteries, renovating buildings and work in charity shops.

Community sentences can be given for crimes including damaging property, benefit fraud and assault.

Stephen Czajewski, chief executive of HIOW CRC, said: “Community payback provides a tough, effective and visible punishment requiring people to undertake challenging work while giving something back to communities where they live.

“It also provides an opportunity for people to turn their experience into a positive one by picking up new skills that can help them towards paid employment and leading more stable, positive and crime-free lives.”