This is a list of the advice that the Sentencing Advisory Panel has produced
and sent to the Sentencing Guidelines Council, and previously the Court of
Appeal, for consideration.
Advice is central to the development of sentencing guidelines and is used
by the Council as a starting point for its formation of guidelines.
Some of the documents below are in Adobe PDF format.
To view them, you may first need to download a free copy of the Adobe
Acrobat reader.
Panel Advice
| Date |
Description |
11 March 2010 |
Sentencing for Domestic Burglary
This advice to the Sentencing Guidelines Council involved a review of developments and changes to the sentencing framework since the guideline judgment in 2002 (based on the Panel’s advice to the Court of Appeal). It completes a review of all the commonly sentenced offences of dishonesty.
 Sentencing for Domestic Burglary
|
11 March 2010 |
Sentencing for Drug Offences
This advice to the Sentencing Guidelines Council makes proposals in relation to the sentencing of the most commonly sentenced drug offences including importation, production, supply and possession.
Sentencing for Drug Offences |
11 March 2010 |
Overarching Principles of Sentencing
This advice to the Sentencing Guidelines Council reviews the approach to the assessment of the seriousness of an offence and a number of related issues.
Overarching principles of sentencing |
11 March 2010 |
Offences Taken into Consideration
This Panel has produced advice in relation to the impact on sentencing of offences taken into consideration (TICS).
Offences Taken into Consideration |
27 October 2009 |
Sentencing for Corporate manslaughter and health and safety offences involving death
This advice from the Sentencing Advisory Panel to the Sentencing Guidelines Council proposes guidelines for sentencing organisations for the offence of corporate manslaughter or for a health and safety offence involving death.
Advice: Sentencing for Corporate manslaughter and health and safety offences involving death |
30 June 2009 |
Sentencing Principles - youths
This advice from the Sentencing Advisory Panel to the Sentencing Guidelines Council makes proposals in relation to the principles governing the sentencing of young people aged 10-17 inclusive.
Advice: Sentencing principles - youths |
25 February 2009 |
Sentencing for fraud offences
This advice from the Sentencing Advisory Panel to the Sentencing Guidelines Council makes proposals in relation to the sentencing of a range of fraud offences.
Sentencing for fraud offences |
23 May 2008 |
Sentencing for Breach of an Anti-Social Behaviour Order
This advice from the Sentencing Advisory Panel to the Sentencing Guidelines Council proposes guidelines for sentencing both young and adult offenders for breach of an Anti-social Behaviour Order (ASBO).
Sentencing for breach of an anti-social behaviour order |
10 March 2008 |
Sentencing for Theft from a Shop
In this advice the Sentencing Advisory Panel invites the Sentencing Guidelines Council to consider the Panel's proposals for guidelines on sentencing adults for the offence of theft from a shop.
Sentencing for Theft from a Shop |
10 March 2008 |
Sentencing for Offences of Theft and Dishonesty
This advice from the Sentencing Advisory Panel to the Sentencing Guidelines Council proposes guidelines on sentencing adult offenders for offences of theft and dishonesty:
- theft in breach of trust
- theft from the person
- theft in a dwelling
- burglary in a building other than a dwelling
- making off without payment
- abstracting electricity
Sentencing for Offences of Theft and Dishonesty |
9 January 2008 |
Driving Offences – Causing Death by Driving
In this latest to the Sentencing Guidelines Council the Sentencing Advisory Panel proposes guidelines for sentencing adult offenders convicted of a causing death by driving offence
Driving Offences – Causing Death by Driving |
04 December 2007 |
Revised Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Guidelines
In this advice to the Sentencing Guidelines Council, the Panel proposes revised Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Guidelines.
Revised Magistrates’ Courts’ Sentencing Guidelines
Addendum to the Panel’s advice |
27 June 2007 |
Sentencing for Assault and other Offences Against the Person
In this latest advice to the Sentencing Guidelines Council, the Sentencing Advisory Panel proposes guidelines on sentencing offenders for assault and other offences against the person.
Sentencing for Assault and other Offences Against the Person |
24 May 2007 |
Sentencing for Bail Act offences
In this latest advice to the Sentencing Guidelines Council, the Sentencing Advisory Panel proposes guidelines on sentencing adult defendants who fail to surrender to custody at a police station or a court following time spent on bail.
Sentencing for Bail Act Offences |
18 January 2007 |
Review of Guideline: Reduction in Sentence for a Guilty Plea
In May 2006 the Sentencing Guidelines Council requested that the Sentencing Advisory Panel undertake a review of the guideline on the reduction in sentence for a guilty plea.
Review of Guideline: Reduction in Sentence for a Guilty Plea |
7 June 2006 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003
This, the latest in a series of advice papers from the Sentencing Advisory Panel to the Sentencing Guidelines Council, proposes guidelines on sentencing for the whole range of offences covered in the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
Sexual Offences Act 2003 (file size: 463kb)
Correction to Panel's advice on sexual offences |
11 April 2006 |
Domestic violence
In this, its sixth Advice to the Sentencing Guidelines Council, the Sentencing Advisory Panel invites the Council to consider the Panel's proposals for guidelines on sentencing for offences committed within a domestic context.
Domestic Violence (file size: 350kb) |
30 March 2006 |
Custodial Sentences of less than 12 Months
In this advice the Sentencing Advisory Panel proposes guidelines for the new "custody plus" sentence, which is currently scheduled for implementation in the autumn of 2006; this will replace the existing provisions relating to custodial sentences of less than 12 months. The advice covers the circumstances in which the new sentence should be used and the way in which individual sentences should be structured.
Custodial Sentences of less than 12 months (file size: 577kb) |
16 February 2006 |
Allocation
In this advice the Sentencing Advisory Panel proposes guidelines for the new allocation procedure and associated legislative changes that are expected to be implemented in the autumn of 2006. The advice covers the legislative and other factors that should influence the decision as to whether an either-way offence is retained for trial in a magistrates’ court or sent to the Crown Court to be dealt with.
Allocation (file size: 148 Kb) |
09 May 2005 |
Manslaughter by reason of provocation
The panel has produced as the fourth Advice to the Sentencing Guidelines
Council, sentencing guidelines for the offence of manslaughter by reason
of provocation. The Panel has concluded that the starting point for
sentencing for manslaughter by reason of provocation will always be
a custodial sentence, with non-custodial sentences being reserved only
for cases involving exceptional mitigating factors. The Panel has also
taken the view that the fact that a killing takes place in a domestic
context should be irrelevant for sentencing purposes.
Manslaughter
by reason of provocation (file size: 206 Kb) |
20 September 2004 |
New Sentences: Criminal Justice Act 2003
In this, its third Advice to the Sentencing Guidelines Council,
the Sentencing Advisory Panel invites the Council to consider the Panel's
proposals for guidelines on the new sentencing framework introduced
by the Criminal Justice Act 2003. The Panel has concluded that, in general
terms, the seriousness of an offence is to be determined by assessing
the relative impacts of both culpability and harm.
New
Sentences: Criminal Justice Act 2003, PDF format (file size: 338
Kb) |
20 September 2004 |
Reduction in Sentence for a guilty plea
In its second Advice to the Sentencing Guidelines Council,
the Sentencing Advisory Panel invites the Council to consider the Panel's
proposals for sentencing guidelines on reduction in sentence for a guilty
plea. The Panel has concluded that the primary purpose of the reduction
is for 'system based' reasons, i.e. to save the time and expense of
a trial. The Advice provides a four-stage process that could be adopted
by courts when determining and delivering sentence following a guilty
plea.
Reduction
in Sentence for a guilty plea, PDF format (file size: 153 Kb) |
05 May 2004 |
Robbery
The Sentencing Advisory Panel has published its first proposal to the
Sentencing Guidelines Council: that the Council should issue sentencing
guidelines on cases of robbery. The Panel has decided to include three
categories of robbery in its advice: street robbery or mugging, robberies
of small businesses and less sophisticated commercial robberies. The
dominant factor in assessing seriousness for any of the three types
of robbery is the degree of force used or threatened and the Panel's
advice is premised on that basis.
Robbery,
PDF format (file size: 103 Kb) |
10 July 2003 |
Alcohol and tobacco smuggling
The Sentencing Advisory Panel has invited the Court of Appeal to review
and update its sentencing guidelines on the offence of alcohol and tobacco
smuggling under section 170 of the Customs & Excise Management Act
1979. Smuggling is a non-violent, non-sexual offence, with no direct
personal victim. While a substantial prison sentence will be the best
way of dealing with the worst offenders, for those lower down the scale
a fine or a community sentence will normally be more appropriate.
Alcohol
and tobacco smuggling, PDF format (file size: 146 Kb) |
18 February 2003 |
Causing death by dangerous driving
The Sentencing Advisory Panel has proposed that the Court of
Appeal should issue a sentencing guideline on the offence of causing
death by dangerous driving. The Panel believes that new guidelines will
help sentencers to strike the right balance between the level of culpability
of the offender and the magnitude of the harm resulting from the offence.
While the outcome of an offence, including the number of people killed,
is relevant to the sentence, the primary consideration must always be
the culpability of the offender.
Causing
death by dangerous driving, PDF format (file size: 56 Kb) |
15 August 2002 |
Offences involving child pornography
The Sentencing Advisory Panel has published a proposal that the Court
of Appeal should issue a sentencing guideline on offences involving
the making, possession or distribution of child pornography. The Panel
believes that sentencing for these offences should reflect the harm
suffered by children who are abused and exploited by pornographers.
It offers sentencers a structured approach to assessing the seriousness
of an individual offence and selecting the appropriate penalty.
Offenses
involving child pornography, PDF format (file size: 56 Kb) |
24 May 2002 |
Rape
The Sentencing Advisory Panel has proposed that the Court of
Appeal should issue revised sentencing guidelines for offences of rape.
The Panel’s key recommendation is that, for sentencing purposes, "acquaintance
rape" and "relationship rape" should be treated as being
no less serious than "stranger rape". The Panel commissioned
research into public attitudes to these issues, and the report on the
research is also available.
Rape,
PDF format (file size: 46 Kb) |
10 May 2002 |
Domestic Burglary
The Sentencing Advisory Panel has proposed that the Court of
Appeal should issue new sentencing guidelines on domestic burglary.
Based on the findings of a public opinion survey carried out for the
Panel, the proposal indicates the appropriate sentence for a "standard"
burglary, and identifies features that would make a particular offence
of domestic burglary more serious than another.
Domestic
Burglary, PDF format (file size: 51 Kb)
|
23 April 2002 |
Minimum terms in murder cases
The Sentencing Advisory Panel proposes that the Court of Appeal
should issue guidance for sentencers in the Crown Court on the setting
of minimum terms in murder cases. Murderers serving a life sentence
are released from prison only when they have served a period considered
necessary to meet the requirements of retribution and deterrence (currently
known as the "tariff") and when the Parole Board considers
that they are no longer a risk to society. The Panel’s advice is designed
to help judges both in setting the minimum term for a young offender
and in making a recommendation in the case of an adult.
Minimum
terms in murder cases, PDF format (file size: 50.5 Kb)
|
01 Nov 2001 |
Extended sentences
The courts have a range of powers, when dealing with persistent or dangerous
sexual and violent offenders, to impose a sentence which reflects the
risk of future offending by the offender as well as the seriousness
of the offence itself. One of the options available is an "extended
sentence", which provides for additional supervision of the offender
under licence after his release from custody.
Extended
sentences, PDF format (file size: 88 Kb)
|
15 March 2001 |
Handling stolen goods
The Sentencing Advisory Panel proposes that the Court should frame a
sentencing guideline on the offence of handling stolen goods. The Panel
believes that the appropriate response for the majority of offences,
which are at the lower end of the range, is a fine or a community sentence.
Sentences approaching the maximum (14 years in custody) should be reserved
for the most serious and unusual cases.
Handling
stolen goods, PDF format (file size: 63 Kb)
|
29 Aug 2000 |
Racially aggravated offences
In this, the Sentencing Advisory Panel’s fourth proposal to the Court
of Appeal, we propose that the Court should frame a sentencing guideline
on racially aggravated offences. Our suggested guidance would apply
both to the specific new offences created by sections 29-32 of the Crime
and Disorder Act 1998 (racially aggravated assault, harassment and criminal
damage), for which the maximum sentence available to the courts is higher
than for the basic, non-aggravated equivalent, and to all other cases
which are treated as racially aggravated under section 82 of the Act.
Racially
aggravated offences, PDF format (file size: 81 Kb)
|
14 June 2000 |
Importation and possession of opium
This is the Sentencing Advisory Panel’s third proposal to the Court
of Appeal, and the first in response to a request for advice from the
Court itself. The Panel's advice is that a sentencing guideline for
opium offences should be based on weight, cross-checked with street
value to ensure that at least an approximate equivalence with heroin
and cocaine is maintained.
Importation
and possession of opium, PDF format (file size: 38 Kb)
|
23 May 2000 |
Offensive weapons
The Sentencing Advisory Panel proposes that the Court should frame a
sentencing guideline on the offences of possessing an offensive weapon
or a bladed instrument in a public place. Sentencers may find it difficult
to assess the seriousness of an offence which does not involve actual
violence, and where there may be no specific victim. In its proposal,
the Panel seeks to identify the circumstances in which the sentencer
should consider imposing a custodial or community sentence.
Offensive
weapons, PDF format (file size: 54 Kb)
|
01 March 2000 |
Environmental offences
This is the Sentencing Advisory Panel’s first advice to the Court of
Appeal. In response to the Home Secretary’s direction of 29 July 1999,
the Panel now proposes to the Court of Appeal that the Court should
frame a sentencing guideline on environmental offences. In its advice,
the Panel seeks to clarify the sentencing principles for environmental
offences, help the courts towards consistency in assessing the seriousness
of an individual offence, and provide guidance on the choice and level
of sentence.
Environmental
offences, PDF format (file size: 62 Kb)
|
