| answer text |
<p>The Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme in England and Wales permits the Court
of Appeal to review a sentence, correct a sentencing error, and give guidance on how
to approach some of the most serious and complex sentencing exercises.</p><p>The Court
of Appeal will only grant permission to refer a sentence in exceptional circumstances:
for example, if the judge has passed a sentence that falls outside the range of sentences
which a judge, applying their mind to all the relevant factors before them, could
properly consider appropriate, or if the judge has made some gross error in law.</p><p>The
scheme is kept under constant review. In November 2019, 14 new offences were added
to the scheme. These included offences relating to indecent images of children.</p><p>In
2022, the Law Officers referred 139 cases to the Court of Appeal. The Court granted
leave to refer in 105 (75%) cases and the sentence was increased in 95 (68%) cases.
Of the 95 cases in which the sentence was increased, 23 (24%) were sentences for child
sex offences.</p>
|
|
