Magistrates’ sentencing powers doubled

MAGISTRATES HAVE had their sentencing powers doubled in a bid to tackle the courts backlog but the move has been criticised as “counter-productive” by lawyers.

The lower courts will now be able to hand out jail terms of up to a year for a single offence – twice as long as the previous maximum – the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) announced. The plans were announced in January as part of efforts to address the pile-up of criminal cases waiting to be heard.

Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said: “We are doing everything in our power to bring down the court backlog, and doubling the sentencing powers of magistrates will create more capacity in the crown court to hear the most serious cases.”

Bev Higgs, national chairman of the Magistrates Association, said: “We are pleased the Government has placed its confidence in the magistracy and introduced this power, alongside others, to ease court delays.”

The MoJ said magistrates and legal advisers have been provided with training ahead of the change to ensure they know how best to use the new powers.

The change is aimed at freeing up more time for the crown courts to deal with more complex and serious cases and delivering swifter justice for victims.

But the move has been criticised by the Criminal

Bar Association (CBA), which represents barristers.

Jo Sidhu QC, of the CBA, said: “Keeping back more cases in the magistrates (courts) may in any event only trigger more appeals to the crown court, adding to the growing lists of cases and diverting criminal advocates from tackling the pile-up of trials.”