Sentencing

The Irish government has been warned that its legislative plans risk politicising the development of sentencing guidelines. The general scheme of the Judicial Council (Amendment) Bill 2026 proposes to give the minister for justice, home affairs and migration the power to direct the Judicial Council

Plans to increase the maximum sentence for causing or allowing a child or vulnerable adult to die in Northern Ireland will not be implemented until after the next election. The Department of Justice today published a summary of responses from a public consultation which was carried out from June to

Legislation proposing significant reforms to sentencing is set to be introduced to the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Sentencing Bill has been developed separately from a wide-ranging sentencing review announced by justice minister Naomi Long in January, which is ongoing.

Northern Ireland’s Court of Appeal has dismissed appeals by the parents of a child who was left near death as a result of non-accidental injuries. Delivering judgment for Northern Ireland’s Court of Appeal, Lady Chief Justice Siobhan Keegan highlighted: “This decision will provide

The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal which raised issues of age-based discrimination stemming from legislation directed toward child offenders. Delivering judgment for the Supreme Court, Ms Justice Iseult O’Malley explained that the range of measures prescribed in the Children Act 2001 &l

Northern Ireland’s Crown Court has sentenced a man who slit his sister’s throat and set fire to her whilst she was still alive is sentenced to 24 years’ imprisonment. Delivering judgment for the Crown Court of Northern Ireland, Madam Justice Denise McBride stated to the defendant:

Mandatory prison sentences of at least three years should be imposed on thieves who steal work equipment from tradespeople and businesses, a Fine Gael senator has proposed. Senator PJ Murphy has said he will bring forward a private member's bill next week to introduce tougher sentences by way of ame

The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal of a man who falsely imprisoned and brutally assaulted his partner at various locations in Dublin city centre. Delivering the leading judgment for the Supreme Court, Ms Justice Iseult O’Malley observed that s.40 of the Domestic Violence Act 2018 &ldqu

Professor Kevin Brown of Queen's University Belfast weighs up competing proposals for reform of sentencing in Northern Ireland. Before the summer recess, MLAs debated a motion on improving sentencing practice that called for a public consultation on creating a Sentencing Council.

Tens of thousands of offenders in England and Wales, including sex offenders, shoplifters, drug dealers and violent criminals, will avoid prison under sweeping sentencing reforms to be put before MPs next month. The Sentencing Bill will require judges to presume against custodial sentences of less t

The Court of Appeal last month re-sentenced former solicitor Michael Lynn in respect of theft offences totalling over €18 million on the basis that the sentencing judge incorrectly handled the issue of credit for time spent on remand in Ireland. Delivering judgment for the Court of Appeal, Mr J

The establishment of a Sentencing Council for Northern Ireland would increase public confidence in the criminal justice system, the Ulster Unionist Party's justice spokesperson has told Irish Legal News. Doug Beattie, who sits on Stormont's justice committee, said the establishment of a dedicated bo

A public consultation is seeking views on the introduction of legislation or guidelines on sentence reductions for early guilty pleas in the Northern Ireland criminal courts. Justice minister Naomi Long is considering whether the current system — based on case law — should be revised and

A new book analysing sentencing in cases of serious sexual offences and exploring the factors that influence the decision-making of judges has been formally launched by justice minister Jim O'Callaghan. Sentencing Serious Sex Offenders: How Judges Decide When Discretion is Wide, published by Policy

Northern Ireland prosecutors are to appeal a sentence imposed on a man convicted of sexually exploiting and trafficking vulnerable young women. Oliver MacCormack, 71, was sentenced on 10 April 2025 in Belfast Crown Court to seven years' imprisonment for 40 counts relating to nine female victims.