Victims and bereaved families to get extra time to challenge lenient sentences, Government announces
Victims and bereaved families will be given more time to challenge sentences they think are too lenient, the Government has announced.
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Under new plans, they will have six months to ask for a sentence to be reconsidered – a significant increase on the current 28-day limit, the Ministry of Justice said.
Families and victims cannot be expected to engage with the justice system in such a short period of time, ministers believe.
Reforms to the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme will give them more time to ask the Attorney General and Solicitor General to refer a sentence in the public interest to the Court of Appeal.
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Other members of the public will still only have 28 days to refer a case.
Welcoming the move, Victims’ Commissioner Claire Waxman said the change is long overdue.
She said: “I am delighted that, after years of campaigning led by Tracey Hanson following the tragic death of her son Josh, and supported by bereaved families, the Government has finally listened.
“I have long supported and worked closely with Tracey on her campaign since 2019, following the appalling injustice she experienced, and I hope this marks an important step towards greater parity between victims and offenders.
“I pay tribute to Tracey’s determination in securing these changes to honour Josh. This is a testament to her campaign, and to the many families who stood alongside her to ensure their voices were heard.”
Justice Secretary David Lammy said victims and their families need “time to breathe” and get advice after a sentence is handed down.
“This change means they’ll have more time to do this – and most importantly, get the justice they deserve,” he added.
The Conservatives claimed the Government’s move represented a U-turn.
Shadow justice minister Dr Kieran Mullan said: “After months and months of voting down sensible proposals for reform this is a step forward and reflects the strength of feeling from victims, families and campaigners who have been calling for change.
“Extending the time limit to six months is a good step and should help more people access the scheme. Too often, victims simply do not know the scheme exists or are given too little time to act.”
Speaking exclusively to LBC News after the announcement, Victims Minister, Alex Davies-Jones, said: "We know that a sentencing hearing can be a really traumatic time for victims and bereaved family members.
"And sometimes they are not told about the Unduly Lenient Sentencing Scheme.
"They are unable to process it because it can be quite traumatic. They might be incapacitated for another reason.
"So it's really important that we give them that time to be able to process what has happened and make an application if they feel that the sentence is unduly lenient."
On the announcement, the minister added: "This is all about ensuring that, first and foremost, victims and bereaved family members know about the scheme.
"We're introducing a statutory duty to notify to ensure that victims and bereaved family members are made aware that the Unduly Lenient Sentencing Scheme exists under the Victims Code.
"And we are giving them extra time, up to six months, to be able to make an application to this scheme so that they are able to challenge a decision if they feel it was unduly lenient."