Public will get to challenge soft sentences for terrorists as scheme for tackling lenient jail terms extended
Nine new offences - including tipping off terrorists about an investigation or failing to report them to police - are being added to the Unduly Lenient Sentence system
THE PUBLIC will get to challenge soft sentences for those convicted of terror offences after the system for dealing with lenient jail terms is being extended.
Nine new offences including tipping off terrorists about an investigation or failing to report them to police are being added to the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.
The programme allows individuals to ask the Attorney General to look at whether the person deserves longer in prison.
It is usually reserved for the most serious offences - and already covers some terror laws, but it is having more added as ministers want sentences to better reflect the devastating impact terrorism has on victims and communities.
Announcing the decision the Justice Minister Dominic Raab said: “These changes will strengthen our ability to punish and deter those who tip off individuals involved in terrorism, and reinforce the conditions imposed by the authorities on individuals subject to monitoring, supervision or control.”
Saying every measure possible must be used to halt the spread of extremism he said “relentless” action must be taken against “those who lurk in the criminal twilight zone around the key figures planning attacks”.
The additional crimes, which include where a person learns of terrorist activity through their work but doesn’t tell the police, comes after the family of off-duty police officer Elaine McIver who was killed in the Manchester bomb called for tougher laws.
Other offences which will fall under the scheme from January 29 include failure to comply with a TPIM - which are used to monitor those suspected of involvement in terror activity.
It also covers those who breach TEOs, which disrupts and controls the return of UK citizens suspected of engaging in terrorist-related activity abroad.
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In 2016, a record 141 criminals had their sentences increased, out of the approximately 80,000 cases Crown Courts hear each year.
Attorney General Jeremy Wright said: “The Unduly Lenient Sentencing (ULS) scheme added over 400 years of imprisonment to criminal sentences last year.
“While in the vast majority of cases sentencing judges get it right, the ULS scheme gives anyone the ability to challenge sentences within the scheme they think are too low and I’m pleased that more offences will now be included.”