Britain admitted today it had freed more than 1,000 foreign prisoners who should have been considered for deportation.
The Home Office said that over the last seven years, 1,023 criminals who should have been considered for deportation at the end of their sentences had simply been freed into the community.
They included three murderers, nine rapists, two guilty of manslaughter and 12 sex offenders, including five paedophiles.
The Home Office said it did not have any figures on whether any of them had reoffended.
British Home Secretary Charles Clarke said: "It is clear that there has been a failure on our part to deal with all the cases we could have, adding: "I don't intend to resign on this matter."
The revelation is particularly embarrassing for the Blair government which has consistently vowed to be tough on crime and to deal with those foreigners who posed a threat.
Last week, Mr Clarke announced plans to toughen up supervision of dangerous British convicts, while the government has pledged to deport foreign nationals who were considered to be a threat to British national security.