Victims and loved ones will be given six months to challenge unduly lenient sentences – rather than the current 28-day limit – in a major victory for campaigners
Victims and grieving families will be given longer to challenge unduly lenient sentences handed out to criminals in a major shake-up.
Loved ones will be given six months to ask for tougher penalties after a criminal is sentenced – rather than the current 28-day limit. There will also be a new legal duty to ensure survivors are notified of their right to challenge a sentence.
The move was hailed by campaigner Tracey Hanson, who has been fighting for change after her son Josh, 21, was murdered in 2015 by Shane O’Brien, one of Britain’s most wanted fugitives.
She was not initially told that she had a right to challenge the sentence handed to her son’s killer. Her application was later rejected as it was made outside of office hours on the last day of the 28-day deadline.
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Tracey, from Bedfordshire, said: “These changes represent a hard-fought victory in ensuring that families are no longer left in the dark or rushed through a traumatising process during the most painful moments of their lives. These reforms are a testament to Josh’s memory and the passion and dedication of everyone who stood with the Josh Hanson Trust.”
Katie Brett, whose 16-year-old sister Sasha Marsden was stabbed 58 times by her killer David Minto, has also been fighting for change. Minto was sentenced to life with a minimum 35-year term in 2013 for murdering Ms Marsden, who he lured to a hotel with the promise of a cleaning job. He sexually assaulted her and stabbing her so ferociously she had to be identified by DNA from her toothbrush.
Katie said: “Our lives were turned upside down when my 16 year old sister Sasha was murdered. Like all victims, we only had 28 days to appeal the sentence and we were not told until it was too late.
“It’s a relief that in Sasha’s memory, victims and their families will have 6 months to challenge an unduly lenient sentence and the new legal duty to be notified means every family will know their rights to be able to do so. No family should ever be left in the dark like we were, every victim deserves support.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy said: “When someone’s been through the ordeal of seeking justice and watched the person who hurt them or their loved one be sentenced, the last thing they should be worrying about is a ticking clock.
“People need time to breathe, to talk to their families, to get advice. This change means they’ll have more time to do this – and most importantly, get the justice they deserve.”
The changes will be made through amendments to the Victims and Courts Bill, which is going through Parliament. The scheme applies to the most serious criminal offences, such as murder, rape and robbery.