Police let 45 men who admitted rape walk away with a caution

Over 1,500 adults cautioned for sexual assault

Over the last five years, 148 children were cautioned for rape and 606 for sexual assault (Getty)

Police reportedly let 45 men to walk away with a caution after they admitted to rape.

In the last five years, police forces in England and Wales cautioned 45 adults for rape and 1,585 for sexual assault, The Mirror reports.

Over the same period, 148 children were cautioned for rape and 606 for sexual assault.

There were also 745 adults and 185 children cautioned for indecent exposure.

Anyone over 10 can be given a caution, but offenders must admit to the offence to be given the reprimand.

Once they accept the caution, the offenders are ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register.

Thames Valley Police, which issued cautions to nine men for rape, told the paper rape cautions are given to adults in some historic cases and where it is not in the best interests of the victim for the case to go to court.

A spokesman said: "Thames Valley Police complies with Force and Ministry of Justice’s guidance in relation to adult and youth cautions.

"The sanction for the offence is not only dependent on the offence classification but also takes into consideration the individual circumstances.

"In some cases a caution may be given for a sexual offence. For example, where both the victim and suspect are children, if the offence is non recent or where it is not in the best interests of the victim for a case to go to trial. Where relevant this is in consultation with the victim.

"All cautions for rape are only applied with authorisation from the Crown Prosecution Service and are subject to internal validation to ensure that the caution is the appropriate sanction.

"Thames Valley Police is committed to dealing with serious criminals and will always seek to charge individuals when it is in the public interest."