Nearly 20 adults caught carrying knives for at least the second time in Hertfordshire last year avoided prison.

Anti-knife campaigners say they are concerned “leniency” toward repeat offenders in the justice system is undermining their efforts.

There were 49 cases where an offender was convicted or cautioned again for possessing a knife or offensive in the year ending in March, according to Ministry of Justice data.

Of those 27 were immediately jailed while 16 resulted in a suspended sentence and two in a community order.

It meant in 18 cases the repeat offender was not sent straight to prison, despite the law outlining that adults already convicted of the crime should face a minimum six-month jail term under the "two strikes and out" system brought in six years ago.

The Ministry of Justice said the rate of immediate prison sentences had been impacted by the pandemic, with a higher number of cases not reaching sentencing on time compared to previous years.

It also said there had been an increase in suspended sentences - possibly down to cases of Covid in the prison system.

But the Ben Kinsella Trust – a charity campaigning against knife crime in the name of the teenager stabbed to death in 2008 – said the criminal justice system must combat the issue with the "severity that it deserves".

Chief executive Patrick Green said: "The figures raise concern about the criminal justice system's effectiveness at reducing weapon carriers on our streets.

"The leniency of the sentencing suggests an inappropriately weak response."

The MoJ said sentencing remained the responsibility of independent judges.

A MoJ spokesperson added: "Those caught carrying a knife are more likely to be sent to jail and for longer than they were a decade ago.

“We are also recruiting 20,000 extra police officers, making it easier to use stop and search and ensuring the most serious offenders spend more time behind bars to protect the public."

The Judiciary Office said any sentence given by a judge or magistrates was considered "carefully" using law and sentencing guidelines.

A spokesperson added: "They also take into account any aggravating or mitigating factors which could increase or reduce the sentence."

In total, 199 cases of knife possession – including offenders aged under 18 – led to convictions and cautions in Hertfordshire in 2020-21, down from 282 the year before.