Newly released figures from the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme annual statistics for 2022 have revealed a significant increase in sentences for child sex offences, rape, and cases involving grievous bodily harm (GBH). The ULS scheme allows anyone to request a review of a Crown Court sentence if they believe it is too lenient.
In 2022, there were 23 sentence increases for child sex offences, followed by 10 for rape offences and 7 for cases involving GBH. The ULS scheme has strict criteria, considering only certain offences, and referrals to the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) must be made within 28 days of the sentence.
The Law Officers received a total of 1,179 cases for review in 2022 and referred 139 cases to the Court of Appeal. A significant 68 percent of these cases saw the sentence increased, demonstrating the effectiveness of the ULS scheme in ensuring appropriate punishment for offenders.
Commenting on the statistics, Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson KC MP emphasised the importance of the scheme in safeguarding victims and maintaining confidence in the criminal justice system. He acknowledged that the majority of offenders receive appropriate sentences but highlighted the crucial role of the ULS scheme in ensuring that dangerous criminals, including child sexual predators and violent offenders, face adequate punishment for their actions.
The annual statistics also revealed sentence increases for other offences, including kidnapping, robbery, child cruelty, and murder. However, the most significant increase in 2022 was seen in the case of Semi Lave, whose 15-year sentence was extended by nine years, resulting in a total of 24 years of imprisonment with a six-year license extension. Lave was convicted of raping and sexually abusing two children, subjecting them to threats of violence and physical abuse between 2015 and 2020.
Several other cases in 2022 witnessed sentence increases after the intervention of the Law Officers. Lee Gibson, a convicted child sex offender from Derby, saw his prison sentence raised from 16-and-a-half years to 23 years in January 2022. Mark Page, a former radio DJ, had his sentence extended from 12 years to 18 years in June 2022 for attempting to arrange sexual encounters with children in the Philippines. Zachary Jagger’s prison term increased from six years to 13 years, with a three-year license extension, after he deliberately drove his car into a group of people he had been involved in a fight with when denied entry to a party, causing a double leg fracture to one victim. Lorna and Chris Dennington, who were sentenced in 2022 for child cruelty offences, saw their sentences increased to four years and 10 months and six years, respectively. Their campaign of cruelty spanned 11 years and involved physical and emotional abuse of the victims.
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