Offenders who refuse to face their victims’ families in court for sentencing could be stripped of privileges or kept in cells for weeks under government changes granting wider powers to judges in England and Wales.
The imposition of new prison sanctions, coming into effect next year, builds on existing laws that order offenders to attend sentencing or face a fine or be jailed for a further two years for contempt of court.
“Criminals should not be able to pick and choose when they face justice. Refusing to turn up to sentencing is an insult to victims and their families, and offenders must face the consequences,” said the prisons minister, Catherine McKinnell.
The new rules, to be laid before parliament on Thursday, will grant judges new powers to impose a loss of prison privileges for 84 days, cell confinement for 21 days, a loss of social visits for 27 days and a restriction on visits to once every four weeks, for 84 days. They could result in offenders already facing decades behind bars facing additional punishments.
The Ministry of Justice has said that while no measure can guarantee offenders will attend their sentencing hearing, the widened powers strengthen the consequences for offenders and ensure they can be “appropriately punished”.
Younger offenders aged 18 to 20 could have privileges removed for up to 21 days or be confined to cells for up to 10 days, said the MoJ. Visitors from prisoners’ children will be exempt, to help maintain family ties and when in the child’s best interests.
Claire Waxman, the victim’s commissioner for England and Wales, who has worked with relatives of the murder victims Sabina Nessa, Zara Aleena and Jan Mustafa, said the announcement reflected the “tireless efforts” of victims’ families.
“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,” said Waxman.
“It is now essential that these powers are used consistently by courts and prisons, so families receive the justice and accountability they deserve.”
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The move comes after nearly 2,000 prisoners across England and Wales were released from prison this month as part of a government plan to ease prison overcrowding.
