CRIMINALS could face softer sentences if Bolton's Magistrates Courts are closed.

Government statistics show our magistrates are twice as strict as those in Bury, Manchester and Trafford, the towns set to deal with Bolton cases if the courts close.

It has prompted calls from Bolton North-east MP David Crausby for courts chiefs to ensure "Bolton magistrates continue to deal with Bolton criminals."

The Greater Manchester Magistrates Courts Committee has recommended closure of the court because it claims its "inherent constraints" make it too expensive to modernise.

But Home Office figures reveal that criminals are more likely to be punished if they are dealt with at Bolton's Magistrates Courts.

The statistics show that just 13.5 per cent of criminals get absolute or conditional discharges in Bolton compared to 27.4 per cent in Bury, 29.9 per cent in Manchester and 35.5 per cent at Trafford.

Discharges are made at the magistrates' discretion but can be held against people if they offend again.

The town's magistrates also sent a higher proportion (18.7 per cent) of offenders to the cells than their counterparts.

The 1999 figures show that Bolton magistrates were consistently among the strictest in the county when dealing with cases of common assault, theft, driving while disqualified, vehicle theft and possession of class B drugs.

Mr Crausby said that the figures showed that it was important to keep the courts open.

He said that even though Bolton magistrates would serve at other courts if their own court closed, it was "inevitable" that Bolton criminals would often not be dealt with by them.

He added: "I think it is enormously important that Bolton magistrates continue to deal with Bolton criminals because they understand Bolton and its needs.

"It is not a criticism of Bury or anywhere else but our circumstances are best assessed by Bolton people."

Mike Garstang, a solicitor who formed Bolton Law Society to fight the court's closure, said he believed the statistics showed Bolton's magistrates were among the strictest in Greater Manchester.

He added: "Within the Greater Manchester courts the statistics reveal that Bolton has the lowest percentage of such discharges, therefore suggesting that Bolton is tougher than the other courts within the Greater Manchester area."

A spokesman for the Greater Manchester Magistrates Courts Committee, which has recommended Bolton and Salford courts for closure, refused to comment.

Alex Carlos, clerk to the justices at Bolton's Magistrates Courts, was also unavailable for comment.