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Magistrates have had their sentencing powers doubled in a bid to tackle the courts backlog – but barristers warned yesterday the move could trigger a flood of appeals.
Criminals will now face sentences of up to a year from today for a single offence, compared with a previous six-month maximum at a magistrates’ court.
The plans are part of a bid to relieve the huge crown court backlog of cases built up over the pandemic. Until now, magistrates have sent cases to crown courts for sentences longer than six months.
It is hoped that dealing with more offences in the lower court will free up time for crown courts to handle complex and serious cases, delivering swifter justice for victims. Justice Secretary Dominic Raab estimates the move will free up 1,700 days of crown court time a year.
