SENTENCING POWERS OF MAGISTRATES SET TO BE INCREASED- The changes will allow magistrates to hand-down prison sentences of up to a year
Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood has announced plans to increase the sentencing powers of magistrates in the UK
The changes will allow magistrates to hand-down prison sentences of up to a year. The government says this will help to tackle the record remand population in jails and address the Crown Court backlog, also at a historic high.
The Lord Chancellor confirmed the plans to allow magistrates to issue custodial sentences for up to 12 months for a single offence – a doubling of their current powers. The move will save approximately 2,000 days in the Crown Court, so that time can be reserved for the most serious and complex cases.
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Shabana Mahmood said the change marks a further step towards addressing the deep challenges in the criminal justice system, by reducing the remand population in jails and delivering swifter justice for victims.
The national chair of the Magistrates’ Association, Mark Beattie also stated that members of the association will take the increased responsibility with integrity and strive to deliver the highest quality of justice in their courts.
