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Court of Appeal: Sentencing

Question for Attorney General

UIN 910047, tabled on 10 December 2020

What criteria she uses when referring sentences to the Court of Appeal.

Answered on

10 December 2020

The Law Officers have the power to refer a sentence for review if it appears to us to be not just lenient, but unduly lenient. It is a power we exercise personally, based on our legal assessment of the facts and merits of each case. The court ultimately decide on the case, but we refer cases in the public interest where in our judgment they appear unduly lenient.

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