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/1693648", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1693648/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government is supporting the transition to peat-free horticulture, through research & development, and the removal of regulatory barriers. Officials are also exploring how to deliver financial support to the sector to help with the capital costs of new machinery or infrastructure.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4522", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rebecca Pow"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Taunton Deane"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rebecca Pow"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-03-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-03-07T14:51:55.67Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-03-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Horticulture: Peat"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the development of alternatives to peat-based soils for the professional horticulture sector.", "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" : "17009"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1693649", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1693649/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Ministers and officials have met with the Horticulture Trades Association (HTA) and Royal Horticultural Society in recent months. Further engagement between officials and a range of stakeholders is planned for this month.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4522", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rebecca Pow"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Taunton Deane"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rebecca Pow"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-03-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-03-07T14:49:17.493Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-03-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Horticulture: Peat"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions officials in his Department have had with representatives of the professional horticulture sector on plans to ban the sale of horticultural peat.", "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" : "17010"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1693650", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1693650/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Officials are currently updating our economic Impact Assessment which examines the cost differences in moving away from peat. This includes inputs such as water and fertiliser as well as the capital costs of altering machinery.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4522", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rebecca Pow"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Taunton Deane"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rebecca Pow"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-03-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "17007"} , {"_value" : "17008"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-03-07T14:38:12.347Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-03-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Agriculture: Peat"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an estimate of the average cost to farmers of switching agricultural machinery from using existing plant plugs to non-peat alternatives.", "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" : "17011"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1693651", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1693651/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Our proposals for time limited technical exemptions were set out in the Defra Media blog on 24 March 2023. We also propose a conservation exemption which will not be time limited. Officials are in ongoing discussions with stakeholders about what other possible technical exemptions may be required.<\/p>
<\/p>