Crime victims and bereaved families given more time to challenge lenient sentences
Under new government plans, victims and bereaved families will be given significantly more time to appeal sentences they believe are unduly lenient.
The Ministry of Justice announced that individuals will now have six months to request a reconsideration of the sentence; This represents a significant increase over the current 28-day period.
Ministers accept that the previous timeframe was inadequate for families to deal effectively with the complexities of the justice system.
These reforms to the Extremely Light Sentencing Scheme are intended to provide ample opportunity for the Attorney General and the Solicitor General to request referrals to the Court of Appeal.
Other members of the public will still only have 28 days to refer the case.
Welcoming the move, Victims Commissioner Claire Waxman said the change was long overdue.
She said: “I am delighted that after years of campaigning by Tracey Hanson and supported by bereaved families following the tragic death of her son Josh, the Government has finally listened to me.
“I have long supported and worked closely with Tracey on her campaign since 2019, following the terrible injustice she has experienced. I hope this is an important step towards achieving greater equality between victims and offenders.
“I appreciate Tracey’s commitment to making these changes to honor Josh. It’s a testament to her campaign and the many families who stood with her to ensure their voices were heard.”
Justice Minister David Lammy said victims and their families needed “time to breathe” and should seek advice after sentencing.
“This change means they will have more time to do so and, most importantly, they will 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 of reasonable reform proposals being rejected, this is a step forward and reflects the strength of feeling of victims, families and campaigners calling for change.
“Extending the time limit to six months is a good step and will help more people access the programme. Often victims are unaware of the programme’s existence or are given little time to take action.”
