Terror supporters face longer jail sentences
More powers to increase prison terms for offences related to extremism if punishment deemed ‘soft’
POWERS are being given to the Attorney General to increase “soft” sentences handed to terrorists and supporters of extremism after a cleric who backed terrorism was jailed for just five years.
People found guilty of encouraging terrorism, sharing terrorist propaganda and radicalising others could see their sentences increased as part of the expansion of the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme. It represents the Government’s first step in delivering on Theresa May’s warning after the London Bridge attack that “enough is enough”, with even more action ex- pected to follow as the Prime Minister gets tougher on terror.
The Government had faced pressure last year to extend the scheme after Anjem Choudary was jailed for five-and-ahalf years after he was convicted of inviting support for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
The new measures will take effect on August 8 and, while they will not apply retrospectively, they will enable people to challenge the sentences handed down to others for similar offences.
The ULS scheme already applies to major terror offences and serious crimes like rape and murder but it will be broadened to include people who are guilty of failing to report information about a planned attack and those who help radicalise would-be terrorists. Dominic Raab, justice minister, said: “We want the most robust sentences for any terrorist crimes and for victims to have every opportunity to see justice delivered. Our action will reinforce our focus on deterring people who help radicalise terrorists, and punishing those who wilfully turn a blind eye to terrorist activity.”
Under the terms of the scheme, anyone can demand that the Attorney General, the Government’s chief legal adviser, review a sentence that has been handed down. The Attorney General can then decide to refer the sentence to the Court of Appeal to be looked at again.
The Government is adding sentences for 19 terror-related offences to the scheme, including supporting extremist organisations.
Mrs May set out her plan to eradicate extremism in the immediate aftermath of the London Bridge attack on June 3, which cost the lives of eight people. She warned that while “significant progress” had been made in fighting terror, there remained “far too much tolerance of extremism” in the UK.
She said there would be a review of counter-terrorism strategy and pledged to look at increasing the length of jail terms for “even apparently less serious” terrorism-related crimes.
Jeremy Wright, the Attorney General, said: “Widening the scheme to include terrorism offences will allow us to challenge more sentences and is a welcome first step to extending it even further. Crimes of this nature will not be tolerated in our society.”
The Attorney General referred 136 cases to the Court of Appeal in 2015, with the court increasing the sentences of 102 offenders.