Kalisher/Sentencing Academy Internship
I am extremely pleased to have been awarded the Kalisher/Sentencing Academy Internship for this year. I have followed the work of both organisations for a number of years, and I am proud to represent both organisations and the ethos they stand for. I currently work as a Crown Court Caseworker at a practice specialising in […]
Multi-year funding from the Dawes Trust
The Sentencing Academy is pleased to announce that it has received additional multi-year funding from the Dawes Trust. We are very grateful to the Trust for its ongoing and future support of the Academy. Effective Sentencing In addition to our current funding this additional resource will permit the Academy to significantly expand its activities. More […]
Refusal to Attend Sentencing
Dr Gabrielle Watson In August 2023, former neonatal nurse, Lucy Letby, refused to attend her own sentencing hearing for the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of another six entrusted to her care. Having also refused to attend via video link, she remained in the cells below Manchester Crown Court as bereaved family […]
Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and Sentencing Event – 29 March 2023 – Nottingham Law School
By Gavin Dingwall, Senior Research Fellow and Sarah McManus, Director of Operations The Sentencing Academy was delighted to host this event with Nottingham Trent University. Gavin Dingwall, Senior Research Fellow at the Academy, comments that ‘Nottingham Law School has recognised expertise in sentencing research and staff there have contributed to the international debate about the […]
Prison Overcrowding and Operation Safeguard: Resultant Changes to Sentencing Practice
By Georgia-Mae Chung Overcrowding in adult male prisons is a significant problem affecting the criminal justice system. The Government has responded to this by way of Operation Safeguard. On 30 November 2022, a statement was made in Parliament announcing the operation. The Ministry of Justice requested the use of 400 police cells to hold […]
Magistrates’ Association Publish Report on the Use of Out of Court Disposals
By Gavin Dingwall, Senior Research Fellow In December 2022, the Magistrates’ Association published a report entitled Out of Court Disposals: Fit for purpose or in need of reform? (available here). The report is timely and raises questions of importance. In an ideal world there would be synergy between punishments imposed by the courts and […]
Koci Selamaj sentenced for the murder of Sabina Nessa
By Orla Slattery, Lecturer, Nottingham Law School Koci Selamaj was today sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 36 years for the murder of Sabina Nessa, a teacher, last September. The sentencing remarks of Mr Justice Sweeney are available here. What is a minimum term? Selamaj’s minimum term […]
Essex lorry deaths: Sentencing 39 counts of manslaughter
Ronan Hughes, Gheorghe Nica, Maurice Robinson and Eamonn Harrison were today sentenced for 39 counts of unlawful act manslaughter. All four offenders were involved with people smuggling operations whereby migrants were loaded into the backs of sealed lorry containers and transported across mainland Europe to the UK. On 22 October 2019, during one such smuggling […]
Whole Life Orders: Attorney General’s Reference
What is a Whole Life Order? When imposing a life sentence (which is mandatory on conviction for murder but discretionary for other certain serious offences, like manslaughter and rape) a judge has two options: they must either specify a minimum term which must be served in full before release can first be considered by […]
New Community-Based Alternatives to Imprisonment
Popular conceptions of imprisonment entail admission to prison for a continuous period. Some offenders are sentenced to immediate imprisonment – for example for six months. However, other jurisdictions have introduced forms of imprisonment which are served in the community. In Australia this is known as a Community Custody Order, while in Canada it is […]
Sentencing during the pandemic: What are the options?
As activity in the courts begins to increase after the lockdown period, the question of what impact the coronavirus pandemic should have on the imposition of custodial sentences is likely to become more pertinent in the coming weeks. This briefing note sets out the options available to courts when considering how to take into account […]
