No More Empty Docks, Offenders Forced to Face Victims

Submitted ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨0x815@feddit.de⁩ to ⁨unitedkingdom@feddit.uk⁩

https://www.occrp.org/en/daily/17994-uk-no-more-empty-docks-offenders-forced-to-face-victims

The British Government said it will force offenders to either face their victims or their families in court or spend two extra years in prison. “It is unacceptable that some of the country’s most horrendous criminals have refused to face their victims in court. They cannot and should not be allowed to take the coward’s way out,” Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said. This decision is part of a new reform that aims to make sentencing tougher for the most horrifying killings, leading to significant changes in the U.K.'s legal system.

source

Comments

Sort:hotnew top

Emperor@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
Judges could always compel the criminal to come to the dock, they tend not to because someone who doesn’t want to come may have to be dragged in kicking and spitting, making the whole process even more traumatic.

It’s just cheap tabloid-bait.

source
RobotToaster@infosec.pub ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

or spend two extra years in prison

A life sentence, plus two years. How does that work?

source
- JoBo@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
  Whole life sentences are very rare. Usually, there is a minimum term before they become eligible for parole. Once granted parole, they can be recalled to prison immediately should any further (even minor) offences be committed.
  
  It’s ‘life’ in the sense that the conviction is never spent. But the minimum term in prison starts at around 8 years.
  
  source
- mannycalavera@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
  Funeral delayed by two years…
  
  source
byroon@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
My understanding is the whole court system has like a multi-year backlog. Forcing offenders to be present for sentencing seems like a complete non-issue and in fact a distraction when compared to this much greater impediment to justice

source
Blake@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
I don’t think it’s really good for the victims to have to sit in a room with the person who has victimised them?

source
- Tippon@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
  The victims don’t have to, but if they choose to, the accused person has to sit in the dock.
  
  source
  - Blake@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
    Ah okay, that makes it a bit better. What about if the victim has to give evidence at the trial or something, though?
    
    source
    -> View More Comments
  - HumanPenguin@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
    Sorta makes it pointless.
    
    The victims most effected are the least likely to find the idea helpful.
    
    source
    -> View More Comments
TWeaK@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
Why don’t we just return to putting people into stocks then?

source
- peter@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
  That seems like a leap
  
  source
  - Lazylazycat@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
    Is it? What’s the purpose of imprisoning someone?
    
    source
    -> View More Comments
apis@beehaw.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
Populist garbage.

Sentencing already reflects the behaviour of the defendant subsequent to the crime, so that they can get a hefty discount the sooner they plead guilty, whereas if they constantly do things that frustrate the whole process they can see the upper end of what is an allowable sentence. Refusing to appear in court, whether as a defendant or as a convict awaiting sentence makes no difference to the process.

source