Commenting on the Government's announcement today of a Sentencing Review, Chair of the Bar Council, Sam Townend KC, said:
“We welcome the announcement of the sentencing review. One of the real drags on seeking to get the Crown Court backlogs down and to ensure swift efficient justice has been the mismatch of ever heavier prison sentences and inadequate prison places to meet the imposed demand. Measures to speed up the Crown Courts have previously been thwarted due to the lack of prison spaces. Addressing sentences and the capacity of prisons is a necessary prerequisite to turning around the criminal justice system and in particular the delays in the Crown Courts.”
Read the Government's press release: