Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme

Thursday 10 December 2020 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Court of Appeal increased sentences for offenses including drug supply in a prison, firearm possession, and rape combined with making indecent images.
  • Pauline Latham highlighted that public protection is a purpose of sentencing along with punishment.
  • The Minister referred cases involving dangerous offenders, including a stabbing and a rape of a lone female victim.

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Questions & Answers

Q1 Pauline Latham Con
Justice & Courts
Context

The question arises from the need to address cases where sentences are deemed insufficiently severe by public standards.

Question

What recent sentences has she extended through the unduly lenient sentence scheme?

Answer from Michael Ellis

The Court of Appeal has this month increased sentences referred by me for a range of offending. Those have included the supply of drugs in one of Her Majesty's prisons, the possession of firearms, and the rape of a victim who was asleep combined with the making of indecent images and recordings.

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Q2 Pauline Latham Con
Justice & Courts
Context

The question is prompted by the ongoing debate on ensuring public safety through appropriate sentencing measures.

Question

Does my right hon. and learned Friend agree that the purposes of sentencing include public protection as well as punishment, and that is important for the unduly lenient sentence scheme?

Answer from Michael Ellis

My hon. Friend is entirely right about public protection. It is one reason why, exceptionally, I will refer a case involving a dangerous offender, for example. In two separate cases this year—one involving a stabbing, and the other involving rape, where both the victims were lone females—the offenders had their original sentences extended following my reference to the Court of Appeal to properly reflect the dangerousness of their offending.

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