Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Unduly Lenient Sentences

Thursday 16 September 2021 · 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 0 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Jacob Young asked about the recent comparative assessment of the unduly lenient sentence scheme's annual performance.
  • The Attorney General reported receiving and reviewing 552 referrals in 2020, with 97 cases referred to the Court of Appeal and 61 sentences increased.
  • Jacob Young inquired if the Attorney General would review Mr Green's sentence, given he received no jail time for making indecent images of children.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Jacob Young
Justice & Courts
Context

The MP seeks information on how the government evaluates the effectiveness of sentences deemed too lenient.

Question

What recent comparative assessment has been made of the annual performance of the unduly lenient sentence scheme?

Answer from Suella Braverman

In 2020, my office received and reviewed 552 referrals under the unduly lenient sentence scheme. Ninety-seven were referred to the Court of Appeal, with 61 sentences being increased.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not provide a recent comparative assessment as requested but instead gave statistics from 2020 without further context or comparison.

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Q2 Jacob Young
Justice & Courts
Context

Mr Green, the former head of corporate communications at Cleveland police, pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children and received a community order without jail time. The MP believes this is an unduly lenient sentence.

Question

Given that Mr Green, the former head of corporate communications for Cleveland police, was given no jail time after pleading guilty to making indecent images of children, will the Attorney General review his sentence under the unduly lenient sentence scheme?

Answer from Suella Braverman

I thank my hon. Friend for his tireless work on behalf of those affected by such cases. This case was brought to my attention by Steve Turner, the Cleveland police and crime commissioner. I can only review sentences that fall within the unduly lenient sentence scheme, but as this case was heard at magistrates court it is ineligible.

Not addressed: The answer did not address whether Mr Green's sentence would be reviewed or how justice could be served, instead highlighting procedural constraints.

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