Use of soft-touch sentencing to be reviewed by justice watchdog
SOFT-TOUCH sentences for sex offenders are to be investigated by a powerful justice watchdog.
the Mail revealed last month that some of scotland’s worst criminals, including child rapists, are being let off with Community Payback Orders (CPOs).
the scottish sentencing Council (SSC), launched last year, will now probe the issue because of ‘increasing’ public concern.
it will also examine the sentencing of dangerous drivers and the controversial practice of giving ‘discounts’ on jail terms if offenders plead guilty.
the moves follow the revelation this week that electronic monitoring of criminals, including sex offenders, is to be stepped up despite fears over the risk to public safety.
the SSC could issue guidelines banning community service for serious sex offenders. Last night, scottish tory justice spokesman Douglas ross said: ‘A situation where such heinous criminals could ever have been handed a community sentence should never have been permitted.
‘Hopefully this is the first step to ensuring these weak sentences do not occur again.’
John scott, QC, a solicitor member of the SSC, said it would begin research into the sentencing of sexual offences ‘with a focus on those involving children, which account for a high proportion of sentences’.
He added: ‘this has become an area of increasing concern.’
the scottish Government is considering extending the presumption against shortterm sentences, which could lead to hundreds of dangerous criminals avoiding jail.
the SSC said it would ‘take a keen and direct interest in developments’ because ‘resultant changes in sentencing practice will not only have significant implications for the council’s work but for the administration of justice in scotland more widely’.
Also on the agenda is drawing up guidelines for environmental and wildlife crimes, states the SSC business plan, published yesterday.
SSC chairman Lady Leeona Dorrian, Lord Justice Clerk, said: ‘the topics we have selected to begin preparing guidelines on are of importance to local communities and families across scotland.’
Judges will be able to depart from the guidelines to preserve their discretion but will have to explain any decision to do so.