A retrospective study of all the offenders with learning disabilities referred to a community based out‐patient clinic serving one county over a seven‐year period was performed. Information was collected regarding degree of learning disability, presence of additional mental disorder, type of offence committed and living conditions at the time of referral. Follow up over a subsequent three‐year period was also performed retrospectively and covered areas such as treatment, reoffending, hospitalisation and present accommodation. Some of the implications of the findings are discussed and it is argued that a community based out‐patient clinic supported by a small in‐patient unit cannot cope with all offenders with learning dis