Victims and bereaved families will have longer than ever to challenge sentences they don’t feel fit the crime they’ve suffered as the Government reforms the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme.
Listening to courageous campaigners such as Tracey Hanson and Katie Brett, who both lost loved ones to horrific murder, the Government has today confirmed victims and their bereaved families will have up to six months to ask for a sentence to be reconsidered - rather than being strictly limited to 28 days, News Cover reports, citing the UK government's official website.
This important change is in recognition of the fact that, in the immediate aftermath of a heinous crime that has upended their lives, grieving families and traumatised victims cannot also be expected to engage with the justice system again in such a short period of time.
The Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme allows any member of the public to refer a sentence to the Attorney General and the Solicitor General – the Government’s senior legal advisers - if they believe it is too lenient. They can then request the Court of Appeal reviews the sentence – a vital safeguard to help ensure sentences reflect the seriousness of the offence.
Ensuring that no one is left in the dark about their rights, the Government will also be introducing a legal duty in the Victims’ Code to notify survivors of the existence of the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme.
