Magistrates now have the authority to sentence people to a term of up to a year in prison (doubling their sentencing powers) due to a controversial new Government ruling which came into force on 2nd May 2022.What are the new sentencing rules?Previously, cases warranting longer than a 6-month custodial term were required to go to the Crown Court. However, magistrates will now be able to pass the longer sentences in cases such as fraud, theft, and assault. The Ministry of Justice said the latest measure, announced in January, will free up to an extra 1,700 days of Crown court time annually, aiming to drive down the Crown court backlog. But the move has not been welcomed by all.Jon Black, a former president of the London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association, said: ‘Removing from...
