The information requested is not held centrally. However, our data shows that from January 2021 to June 2023, 182 cases in the Crown Court were sentenced in absence of the defendant where the defendant was remanded in custody. However, the data does not provide the reason for non-attendance and therefore includes non-attendance due to reasons other than refusal, such as transportation issues or legitimate illness.<\/p>
We are introducing legislation to compel offenders to attend their sentencing hearings to meet the growing public concern relating to offenders who have committed the most serious of offences, including Koci Selamaj, Thomas Cashman and Lucy Letby, who refuse to face up to their crimes and hear how they have impacted the victims and their families.<\/p>
An offender\u2019s refusal to attend their hearing can cause anger and upset for victims and their families - offenders should attend court to face the consequences of their crimes.<\/p>
The legislation makes it clear in law that a court can order the production of any offender in the Crown Court to attend their sentencing hearing and that reasonable force can be used to secure their attendance where necessary and proportionate.<\/p>
In addition, we want courts to have the powers to punish offenders convicted of the most serious offences who do not attend their sentencing hearing without good reason, to ensure that they face up to their crimes and hear how they have impacted the victims and their families. This measure will capture offences such as murder, manslaughter, rape and robbery.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4798", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gareth Bacon"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Orpington"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Gareth Bacon"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-03-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-03-12T16:44:00.733Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-03-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Sentencing: Attendance"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the number of offenders refusing to attend sentencing hearings who were convicted of an offence where (a) a life sentence must or may be imposed and (b) where the maximum sentence does not permit a life sentence to be imposed in each of the last three years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4787", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Wild"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North West Norfolk"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "James Wild"} ], "uin" : "16953"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1458440", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1458440/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Where an offender is remanded on bail whilst they are awaiting sentencing (as opposed to being remanded into custody), they are under a duty to surrender themselves to the custody of the court at the next appointed time for a sentencing hearing. Where the offender fails in this duty, the court may issue a warrant for their arrest.<\/p>
Where an offender is being held on remand in custody and they are directed to attend court for a sentencing hearing, a judge has no power to force them to attend the hearing if they refuse to do so.<\/p>
The Secretary of State is considering the matter.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4519", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cartlidge"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Suffolk"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Cartlidge"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-04-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-04-28T07:45:20.15Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-04-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Sentencing: Attendance"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what powers judges have to require the attendance of offenders in court for sentencing.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4787", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Wild"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North West Norfolk"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "James Wild"} ], "uin" : "155932"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 2, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }