Britain announces fraud crime plans

LONDON, July 24 (UPI) -- The British government has announced a plan for fraud prosecution, including longer prison sentences and a plea bargaining program.

The government said the plan was written as a tactic to fight the growing number of high-finance fraud cases in the country, The Times of London reported Monday.

The new plea bargaining program would allow prosecutors to offer more lenient sentences or immunity to lesser defendants in exchange for evidence against a larger offender, The Times said. Lord Peter Goldsmith, Britain's attorney general, said the plan is aimed at shortening fraud trials, which are often long and costly, by focusing on key suspects.

The Times said Goldsmith is expected to announce that all fraud cases across England and Wales will be investigated by the City of London Police economic crime unit.

Home Secretary John Reid had previously said he planned to propose that fraud cases be tried with a single judge in place of a jury.