More than 100 criminals given longer prison terms after sentences were deemed too soft

Too lenient: more than 100 criminals had their sentences increased
Rex
Hannah Al-Othman24 August 2016
WEST END FINAL

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More than 100 criminals were given longer prison terms last year after their original sentences were deemed to be too soft.

A total of 102 offenders faced tougher punishments under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme in 2015, figures from the Attorney General's office show.

Sex offences and robbery accounted for more than half of the cases where jail terms were lengthened.

Under the ULS scheme members of the public can ask the Attorney General to examine sentences they believe to be very low or unduly lenient.

The scheme is reserved for certain types of case including murder, rape, robbery and some child sex crimes.

Only one person needs to ask for a sentence to be reviewed, and anyone can make a request.

Government law officers may then ask the Court of Appeal to look at the sentence, with judges having the option to keep the sentence the same, increase it, or issue guidance for future cases.

The new figures show that the Attorney General's office received 713 requests for sentences to be reviewed under the initiative last year, with 136 referred to the Court of Appeal as potentially unduly lenient.

For 102 offenders, the Court agreed to raise the original sentence, with the highest number of cases, 38, relating to crimes in the sexual offences category.

The next highest category was robbery, with 18 sentences increased, followed by firearms offences, with 14 increased.

The number of sentences considered has increased by more than 100% since 2010, but referrals resulting in increased sentences have stayed broadly stable over the period.

Attorney General Jeremy Wright said: "While in the vast majority of cases, sentencing judges get it right, the ULS scheme is essential in ensuring victims, family members of victims and the general public are able to request that sentences they think are unduly lenient can be reviewed and, where necessary, increased."

The NSPCC said it was "worrying" that some sentences for child abuse "appear to be too lenient".

A spokeswoman said: "These crimes have a devastating effect on the victim, and as such any punishment should always reflect the severity of the crime."

She added that it was "heartening" to learn that "justice was eventually administered" after reviews.

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