Victims and bereaved families will have six months to challenge 'unduly lenient' sentences, under changes announced by Justice Secretary David Lammy. The current 28-day time limit will be extended, following campaigns by relatives of murder victims who argued the short window was insufficient for grieving families to engage with the justice system.
The unduly lenient sentence scheme allows any member of the public to refer a sentence to the attorney general or solicitor general if they believe it is too soft. The government will also introduce a legal duty in the Victims' Code to notify survivors of the scheme's existence, addressing concerns that many were unaware of their rights.
Tracey Hanson, whose son Josh was murdered, welcomed the move. She had submitted an appeal within the 28-day limit in 2019, but it arrived at 8.40pm on the last day and was deemed outside court hours. She was not informed by her barrister, police, courts, or victim support that she could appeal. Katie Brett, whose sister Sasha Marsden was raped, murdered, and set on fire at age 16, said her family were not told of their right to challenge the sentence until it was too late.
The right to appeal remains restricted to serious crimes tried in crown court, including murder, manslaughter, robbery, rape, stalking, and most child sexual abuse offences. It excludes offences such as some sexual crimes, causing death by careless driving, and burglary. Other members of the public will still have 28 days to refer a case.
Lammy said: 'When someone's been through the ordeal of seeking justice and watched the person who hurt them or their loved one be sentenced, the last thing they should be worrying about is a ticking clock.' Shadow justice minister Kieran Mullan cautiously welcomed the move, calling it 'a step forward' that reflects the strength of feeling from victims and campaigners.
