Grayling promises tougher sentences

JUSTICE Secretary Chris Grayling will today promise to target criminals “smirking” at the criminal justice system with tougher sentences for serious offences and restrictions on the use of cautions.

The new Police and Criminal Justice Bill includes measures that will stop child rapists and terrorists qualifying for release after serving half their sentences.

It will also introduce new rules on when cautions can be issued after concerns that they are being used to deal with serious offences which should be heard in court.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Grayling told the Yorkshire Post: “We have a criminal justice system that is admired around the world. It is transparent, it is open and there is no doubt that it is one of the best in the world.

“But that’s not to say that it doesn’t have its shortcomings. We have all read the newspaper reports of vandals wreaking havoc in communities and laughing at their punishment because they deem it to be nothing more than a slap on the wrist.

“We have all heard about the offenders who commit crime with perceived impunity and then brag to their friends about how lightly they got off.

“And we are all angered when we see dangerous criminals being released from prison halfway through their jail sentence.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“These people walk out of courtrooms smirking at the system. That’s not right. For the rest of us, the law-abiding majority who just want to work hard and get on in life, I want to make sure we see justice being done.”

If the Bill becomes law, cautions will be banned for any offence that would ordinarily go before a Crown Court. They will only be issued for these offences in “exceptional circumstances” and with the authority of a police officer of superintendent rank or higher.

The Government expects the changes will mean a reduction of around 14,000 in the number of cautions issued.