The Sentencing Council has today (27 March 2017) published proposed new guidelines covering arson and criminal damage offences. The guidelines, for courts in England and Wales, will help ensure consistent and proportionate sentencing for these offences. Why are new guidelines being proposed? The introduction of the guidelines is due to existing sentencing guidance for these…
It can be a temptation to family members, and to others perhaps for financial gain, to seek to convey articles into prisons. The chance of being detected is high and possibly for that reason many who might otherwise be tempted to do so, resist. Section 40CB of the Prison Act 1952 makes it an offence…
The unlawful death of a child is always a deeply traumatic act and one that shakes any society to its core. For some parents, it represents not only a deeply personal and tragic loss but the beginning of a nightmare. The reality in most murder and manslaughter cases is that the perpetrator is known, and…
Knife crime seems to feature in the new on an almost daily basis, with a number of stabbings having taken place over the last few weeks, resulting in deaths and injury, and no doubt the loss of liberty in due course for those responsible. Attention is now focussed on using deterrent sentences to discourage knife…
A new domestic abuse sentencing guideline has been published today (22 February), giving courts up to date guidance that emphasises the seriousness of this offending. Since Domestic Abuse cases are amongst the most common types of offence that we deal with, it seemed wholly appropriate to draft this blog which deal with the new sentencing…
