Sentencing welcome

Solicitors this week gave cautious backing to government plans to hand more agencies greater influence over the sentencing of offenders, although they have warned against using the plans to take away the discretion of judges.

Revealing details about the new sentencing guidelines council, Home Secretary David Blunkett said it would be aiming to recruit representatives from the legal profession, police, probation and prison services, and victims of crime.

However, criminal judges and magistrates will continue to make up the majority of members.

Mr Blunkett said the council would be geared towards achieving consistency in sentencing and increasing public confidence that justice was being done.

He pointed to statistics that showed how 39% of domestic burglars in Leeds were given immediate custodial sentences compared to 21% in Teeside.

'The current system clearly needs reform,' he argued.

'The sentencing framework is not a complete guide to the most suitable sentences and relies too much on individual discretion, leading, in some cases, to considerable variations.'

Law Society chief executive Janet Paraskeva said: 'We broadly welcome the proposed sentencing guidelines council, and we support the proposed membership and continued working with the sentencing advisory panel.

'But guidelines must be treated as such and the judiciary must always have the flexibility to sentence on a case-by-case basis.

The council should help to ensure greater consistency, transparency and fairness in the sentences issued by Crown Courts.'

Paula Rohan