Husband let wife starve to death – BBC News
“A 71-year-old man has been jailed after letting his mentally ill wife starve to death while he went to the pub and visited the bookmakers.”
BBC News, 28th March 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: sentencing
Drug delivery grandmother jailed – BBC News
“A grandmother from Cornwall who delivered drugs in Plymouth and Truro has been jailed for six months after being caught with 10 kilos of cannabis.”
BBC News, 27th March 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Justice is a victim of politics, not soft judges’ – Daily Telegraph
“As the judiciary is criticised over sentences for firearms offences, Lord Woolf says that it is politicians who have undermined the system.”
Daily Telegraph, 27th March 2008
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Too-tough judges out of touch, says Straw – The Guardian
“The high use of prison by some judges and magistrates often bears little connection with local violent crime rates and may even be out of step with local public opinion, the justice secretary, Jack Straw, suggested yesterday.”
The Guardian, 27th March 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Sentences for possession of firearms – Judiciary of England and Wales
“Statement from the Judicial Communications Office: Sentences for possession of firearms.”
Judiciary of England and Wales, 26th March 2008
Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk
Gordon Brown urges courts to use full powers against gun criminals – The Times
“The Prime Minister urged the courts yesterday to make more use of tough sentencing powers available for gun crimes.”
The Times, 26th March 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Why judges find ways to ignore the law in gun crime sentences – The Times
“Passing sentence in the case of the death of Kamilah Peniston, Mr Justice Holland condemned Britain’s gang-gun culture.
According to the judge, there were ‘exceptional circumstances’ that allowed him to hand down a sentence below the five-year minimum term set down in law.”
The Times, 25th March 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Police chief condemns judges on gun crime – The Times
“The fight against gun crime is being undermined by judges who fail to ensure that tough penalties set down in law are imposed in the courts, a senior police chief has told The Times.”
The Times, 25th March 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
MPs to vote on terror bill after May polls – The Guardian
“Legislation raising the time limit for which terror suspects may be detained without charge from 28 days to 42 is to get its delayed Commons second reading on April 1, the leader of the house, Harriet Harman, is expected to announce today. The new timetable for the government’s counter-terrorism bill is likely to mean that key votes on the time limit – when ministers will face a backbench rebellion at report stage – will take place after the May local elections.”
The Guardian, 20th March 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Ipswich killer seeks to appeal sentence – Reuters
“Convicted serial killer Steve Wright sought permission on Wednesday to appeal the life sentence he was handed last month for murdering five prostitutes in his hometown of Ipswich.”
Reuters, 19th March 2008
Source: www.reuters.com
Magistrate jailed for 18 months for fraud – Daily Telegraph
“A magistrate who told a businessman friend that he could make a court case against him ‘go away’ has been jailed for 18 months.”
Daily Telegraph, 19th March 2008
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Girl jailed for filming ‘happy-slap’ killing – The Guardian
“A teenage girl who used a mobile phone to film a man killed in a ‘happy-slapping’ attack was today jailed in what is thought to be an unprecedented ruling.”
The Guardian, 18th March 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Regina (Kelly) v Secretary of State for Justice; Regina (Bailey) v Same; Regina (Gibson) v Governor of Wymott Prison – Times Law Reports
Court of Appeal
“In the criminal sentencing context, the court could read words into a statutory instrument to correct a drafting omission.”
The Times, 18th March 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
Hooligan jailed after fatal fight – BBC News
“A football fan who killed a man with a snooker ball concealed in a sock has been jailed for four years.”
BBC News, 14th March 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Train riot football thugs jailed – BBC News
“Football hooligans who attacked rival fans on a train packed with passengers have been jailed.”
BBC News, 13th March 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Happy slap’ teenagers sentenced – BBC News
“Two teenagers who beat a man to death in a ‘revolting’ attack, while a 15-year-old girl filmed it on her mobile phone, have been sentenced.”
BBC News, 13th March 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Wannabe gangster’ jailed for 30 years for doorstep shooting – The Guardian
“A ‘wannabe gangster’ was jailed for life today after being convicted of shooting dead a pregnant neighbour in a cold-blooded execution after a doorstep row.”
The Guardian, 13th March 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Sentence halved as offender pays £750 – Daily Telegraph
“A man who broke an elderly woman’s hip when he pushed her over had his prison sentence halved yesterday after agreeing to get £750 from his bank towards compensation.”
Daily Telegraph, 13th March 2008
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
£40m to help boost community orders and control jail numbers – The Guardian
“An urgent cash injection of £40m to promote the use of alternatives to short prison sentences was announced yesterday by the justice minister David Hanson in the face of a prison population which stands at record levels of nearly 82,000.”
The Guardian, 12th March 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Legal Opinion: The Government must build a consensus on prison policy – The Independent
“Ministers have allowed headlines and political posturing to dictate penal policy. Now the time has come for the Government to step back from introducing more sentencing legislation, says Robert Verkaik, Law Editor.”
The Independent, 12th March 2008
Source: www.independent.co.uk
