News
Sentencing Academy report on ‘Sentencing and ethnicity’
The Sentencing Academy has produced a report reviewing ethnicity and custodial sentencing trends from 2009 to 2019. Over the years, several official reports have addressed the role of race and ethnicity in sentencing decisions. The current report looked at sentencing patterns for different offender profiles with two key issues that emerged. The first was ethnic disproportionality, and the...Read More
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Prosecution Guidance for Illegal entry to the UK
The Crown Prosecution Service and law enforcement agencies have agreed a consistent approach to the handling of illegal entry cases for those entering the UK via small boats and lorries. Their guidance has been updated in the sections regarding small boats and larger vessels, passengers and prosecution strategy/international enquiries. It is primarily concerned with prosecuting those who bring...Read More
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When consent isn’t consent
An unusual case was dealt with at the Court of Appeal recently concerning offences of rape, and in particular the question of consent. The victim, referred to as X, was the partner of Smith, who was the leader of a large-scale drugs conspiracy. Smith enjoyed watching X have sex with his friends; he was much older than X. She apparently consented to the sex with Ivor, George, Thomas and Mike,...Read More
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A policeman, a taser and manslaughter
Benjamin Monk, a police officer, has been sentenced for the manslaughter of Dalian Atkinson, who died in 2016. Dalian Atkinson was an ex-footballer who had played for several clubs, including Manchester City and Aston Villa, before retiring from the game in 2001. In August 2016, Mr Atkinson was suffering from kidney failure, and it appeared he was suffering from mental health issues and...Read More
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Modern slavery – new sentencing guidelines
The Sentencing Council has the responsibility of developing and monitoring sentencing guidelines. The aim is to promote consistency in sentencing while maintaining the independence of the judiciary. Following a consultation period, the Council has published sentencing guidelines for offences under the Modern Slavery Act 2015. The guidelines apply to adult offenders and cover the following four...Read More
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Trade mark offences – new sentencing guidelines
Trade Mark offences are the latest set of offences to be given sentencing guidelines by The Sentencing Council. The Sentencing Council produces guidelines on sentencing for the judiciary and criminal justice professionals. The aim is to promote greater consistency in sentencing whilst maintaining the independence of the judiciary. The guidelines set sentencing ranges within the maximum for the...Read More
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