MINISTRY OF JUSTICE PROPOSES PENALTIES FOR MISSING SENTENCING HEARINGS

The Ministry of Justice says offenders who refuse to attend sentencing could face additional penalties in prison under rules it plans to put before MPs on Thursday. Judges would be able to order confinement in a cell for up to three weeks. Offenders could also lose social visits for nearly a month and face further restrictions on contact with friends and family. Prisons Minister Catherine McKinnell said the penalties would give people serving lengthy sentences a reason to attend court.

The proposal follows calls from families whose relatives’ killers did not attend sentencing. Those cases include the killings of Olivia Pratt-Korbel, Sabina Nessa, Zara Aleena and Jan Mustafa. The families have called for courts to make offenders attend and face victims’ relatives. McKinnell said: “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.”

The government has already changed the law to allow judges to impose a fine or add up to two years to a sentence when an offender refuses to attend sentencing. McKinnell said judges would be able to order offenders to appear, while the proposed prison penalties would give those with lengthy sentences “something to lose”. She credited bereaved families and a newspaper campaign with pressing for the changes. MPs are due to receive the proposed rules on Thursday.