The Ministry of Justice has announced that killers who refuse to attend their sentencing hearings and face their victims' families will face further punishments behind bars, including solitary confinement. This marks a major victory for justice, following campaigning by The Mirror and bereaved families.
Prisons Minister Catherine McKinnell praised The Mirror's campaigning, alongside bereaved families, to stop criminals avoiding their sentencing hearings. Judges will now have more powers to lock murderers in their cells for weeks on end and ensure they do not get visits from their loved ones for extended periods.
New powers to punish refusing offenders
New rules to be put in front of MPs will see killers who refuse to attend sentencing confined to their cells for up to three weeks, lose social visits for nearly a month, and face further restrictions on seeing friends and family. This is on top of legislation allowing judges to impose longer sentences.
Ms McKinnell told The Mirror: "Victims show tremendous courage turning up to court to face their offenders and those who have committed crimes cannot be allowed to hide from the consequences of their actions. Thanks to the tireless campaigning of affected families, backed by the Mirror, we're changing that."
She added: "Through these changes, judges will be able to order offenders to face sentencing - and now those with already lengthy sentences who still refuse will have something to lose - from prison privileges to visits - making clear that refusing to face justice comes at a price."
Cases that sparked the change
The announcement follows outrage that the men who killed nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, Sabina Nessa, Zara Aleena and Jan Mustafa did not attend court to be sentenced. The families have called for killers to be forced to do so.
The government faced an outcry after drug dealer Thomas Cashman - who killed Olivia and injured her mum Cheryl by firing a bullet through their front door - refused to appear in court. Cheryl said she was appalled that she did not have the chance to look the killer in the eye as he heard about the heartbreak he caused Olivia's family.
Jordan McSweeney, who sexually assaulted and murdered Ms Aleena as she walked home in East London in 2022, also skipped his sentencing. And the family of Ms Nessa were outraged when Koci Selamaj did not appear. Ms Mustafa's cousin said it was insulting that murderer Zahid Younis was not in the dock and refused to hear victim impact statements.
Punishments and next steps
The government has already changed the law so that criminals who refuse to attend sentencing can face a fine or two extra years behind bars. But the Ministry of Justice said that for killers facing decades behind bars, this is a small deterrent.
Under new powers, a Crown Court can order a loss of prison privileges for 84 days, confinement to their cell for up to three weeks, and loss of social visits for 27 days. There can also be restrictions on social visits to once every four weeks.
Claire Waxman, Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales, said: "Today's announcement reflects the tireless efforts of victims' families who refused to accept that offenders could simply opt out of facing justice.
"Having worked with the families of Sabina Nessa, Zara Aleena and Jan Mustafa, I know how offenders' refusal to attend sentencing hearings compounds trauma and robs families of one of the very few moments of accountability in the justice process. Their determined campaigning, alongside that of Olivia Pratt-Korbel's family, helped ensure that this harm could no longer be ignored.
"It is now essential that these powers are used consistently by courts and prisons, so families receive the justice and accountability they deserve."
