‘Toughen terror jail sentences’

MAXIMUM sentences for some terrorist crimes could be increased, the independent terror watchdog said yesterday.

Max Hill suggested a five-year jail sentence may not be enough for someone who has failed to alert the authorities to a deadly plot.

‘With the benefit of experience and hindsight it may be the case that some offences have insufficient discretionary maximum sentences, which should be reviewed,’ he said.

Mr Hill, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, also suggested that judges should be reminded that they can impose harsher sentences in other criminal cases where they find a ‘terrorist mindset’.

But he said there is no need for a raft of new legislation after the spate of attacks in the UK this year. Instead aspects of existing laws should be improved.