Ken Clarke forced to abandon 50% sentence cuts for guilty pleas – The Guardian

Posted June 21st, 2011 in guilty pleas, Ministry of Justice, news, sentencing by sally

“David Cameron has forced Kenneth Clarke to abandon all plans for 50% sentence discounts for early guilty pleas, after an outcry on the Tory right and in the tabloids.”

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The Guardian, 21st June 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Kenneth Clarke drops shorter jail terms for rapists after tussle with Cameron – The Guardian

Posted June 9th, 2011 in guilty pleas, news, rape, sentencing by tracey

“Justice secretary Kenneth Clarke has been forced by Number 10 to abandon a plan to give rapists, and other serious offenders, a 50% sentence discount in return for early guilty pleas, but he is fiercely resisting Treasury demands to make his justice ministry bear the multi-million pound cost.”

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The Guardian, 8th June 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prison sentencing reform plans hit by fresh delays – The Guardian

Posted June 8th, 2011 in budgets, guilty pleas, legal aid, news, prisons, sentencing by tracey

“Theresa May confirms second postponement to publication of sentencing and legal aid bill amid row over plans to reduce jail terms for offenders who submit early guilty pleas.”

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The Guardian, 8th June 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Jail terms to be cut in ‘discount’ for 10,000 who plead guilty – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 6th, 2011 in guilty pleas, news, sentencing by tracey

“Ten thousand offenders could have their jail sentences cut under Coalition plans to reward criminals who plead guilty, the Justice Minister has admitted.”

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Daily Telegraph, 6th June 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Kenneth Clarke delays announcement of sentencing reforms – The Guardian

Posted May 20th, 2011 in guilty pleas, news, sentencing by tracey

“The justice secretary, Kenneth Clarke, has postponed plans to announce his sentencing reforms, including the controversial move to increase discounts for early guilty pleas, until after the Whitsun break. Clarke had hoped to announce the sentencing package designed to stabilise the record prison population next Tuesday, but that has been delayed for a few weeks while ministers look again at the impact of the controversial proposal.”

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The Guardian, 20th May 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Clarke forced to apologise for rape comments – The Guardian

Posted May 19th, 2011 in guilty pleas, lord chancellor, news, rape, sentencing by tracey

“Kenneth Clarke, the justice secretary, is expected to announce a climbdown over his plan for sentence discounts of up to 50% for early guilty pleas after he provoked a row by appearing to suggest that some rapes are more serious than others.”

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The Guardian, 18th May 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Derek Wiggett jailed for abusing boys in 70s and 80s – BBC News

Posted May 18th, 2011 in child abuse, guilty pleas, news, sentencing, sexual grooming by tracey

“A retired architect and former scout leader has been jailed for six years at Mold Crown Court for abusing two boys between 1976 and 1984.”

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BBC News, 17th May 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

50pc ‘discount’ in jail term for rapists who enter early guilty plea – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 18th, 2011 in guilty pleas, news, rape, sentencing by tracey

“Rapists could have their sentences cut in half if they plead guilty after being arrested.”

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Daily Telegraph, 18th May 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Plan for 50% sentence discount ‘will offend’ victims – BBC News

Posted April 11th, 2011 in guilty pleas, news, plea bargaining, sentencing by sally

“Plans which could see criminals’ sentences cut by up to a half if they plead guilty quickly have been attacked as putting ‘efficiency over justice’.”

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BBC News, 10th April 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Sentencing plans ‘would not reflect severity of crimes’ – BBC News

Posted April 7th, 2011 in detention, guilty pleas, news, sentencing by sally

“Planned reforms to sentencing policy could lead to criminals spending too little time behind bars, according to several top judges.”

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BBC News, 7th April 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Criminals who plead early could get sentences halved – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 6th, 2010 in guilty pleas, news, sentencing by sally

“Criminals who plead guilty early will have their sentences slashed by up to half under plans to be unveiled by Kenneth Clarke next week.”

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Daily Telegraph, 4th December 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Regina v Zaman – WLR Daily

Posted January 26th, 2010 in appeals, assisting offenders, crime, guilty pleas, law reports by sally

Regina v Zaman [2010] WLR (D) 7

“Where a defendant has pleaded guilty to a charge under s 4(1) of the Criminal Law Act 1967 of assisting an offender, the conviction is not rendered unsafe by reason of subsequent acquittal of the person assisted.”

WLR Daily, 25th January 2010

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

 Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Regina v Knaggs – WLR Daily

Posted July 15th, 2009 in confiscation, evidence, guilty pleas, law reports by sally

Regina v Knaggs [2009] EWCA Crim 1363; [2009] WLR (D) 239

“A defendant who had pleaded guilty to an offence without any challenge to the facts by way of a Newton hearing was not thereby debarred, as a matter of law, from challenging the prosecution evidence for the purposes of a confiscation hearing.”

WLR Daily, 14th July 2009

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Practice directions – Amendment No. 22 to the Consolidated Criminal Practice Direction – Judiciary of England and Wales

Posted May 20th, 2009 in criminal procedure, guilty pleas, practice directions by sally

“The Lord Chief Justice has handed down Amendment No. 22 to the Consolidated Criminal Practice Direction.  It has three main parts.  Primarily, the amendments set out the different bases on which a defendant may plead guilty.  Secondly, minor changes are made to paragraph III.28 of the Consolidated Criminal Practice Direction regarding the Victim Personal Statement scheme.  Thirdly, it contains various forms for use with the Criminal Procedure Rules and when appealing to and from the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division).”

Full text

Judiciary of England and Wales, 20th May 2009

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Jail discounts cut for a guilty plea – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 23rd, 2007 in guilty pleas, news, sentencing by sally

“Criminals who plead guilty after being caught red-handed will receive longer sentences under new guidelines announced yesterday.”

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Daily Telegraph, 23rd July 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Smaller sentence reductions for guilty pleas – The Times

Posted July 23rd, 2007 in guilty pleas, news, sentencing by sally

“Criminals who plead guilty in the face of overwhelming evidence – such as being caught in the act – will get less time off their sentence, it was announced today.”

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The Times, 20th July 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk