Lecture notes
Criminal Litigation
- Module
- Litigation
- Institution
- Staffordshire University
Criminal Litigation in depth notes. Includes case law, explanations and summaries.
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CRIMINALLITIGATION
,
, Week 1 – Sentencing and Appeals
Sentencing Code/Sentencing Act 2020
Sentencing Act 2020
Creates a single Sentencing Code
The Sentencing Act 2020 is a Codifying Act – draws together all sentencing provisions
across multiple Acts of Parliament
Some minor changes in phrasing and terminology
Role of the Prosecutor
Attorney-General’s Guidelines on the Acceptance of Pleas and the Prosecutor’s Role in the
Sentencing Exercise
B.4 Must draw court’s attention to:
Victim impact statement
Evidence of impact of offence on community
Relevant sentencing guidelines or cases
Aggravating and mitigating factors of offence
B.5 May make submissions relating to sentencing range
E.1 Challenge any assertion by the defence in mitigation which is derogatory to a
person’s character and which is either false or irrelevant to proper sentencing
considerations
Sentencing Guidelines
Used to be issued by Sentencing Guidelines Council
Generally, sentencing guidelines we now used are issued by the Sentencing Council
for England and Wales
Magistrates Court sentencing guidelines are fundamental to Magistrates’ practice
S 59 Sentencing Code 2020 requires all courts to follow the applicable guideline(s)
unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do
so
Sentencing Following Trial
Court will follow facts of case as they will have heard them during the trial
CPS role is limited to –
o Introducing the victim impact statement
o Outlining D’s previous convictions
o Requesting ancillary orders e.g. compensation
o Request for costs
Defence will make plea in mitigation – will seek to mitigate the sentence and
persuade the court to pass the lowest sentence possible that is available as a result
of the facts of the case.
Sentencing Following Guilty Plea
In the Magistrates’ Court this is governed by Criminal Procedure Rules Part 24.
The Prosecutor –
o Outlines facts of case based on evidence including interview of D under police
caution in custody
, o May be an agreed basis of plea e.g. D agreed to plead guilty on basis of particular
facts e.g. accused of kicking someone multiple times in head and will accept guilty
plea on grounds that they kicked someone in back, not in head, however prosecution
does not have to accept that guilty plea
o Give court copy of D’s previous convictions
o Refer to victim impact statement
o Make applications for any ancillary orders
o Application for costs
D will make a plea in mitigation – structure can be found in Textbook Chapter 22.21-
24
Sentencing Procedure – Overview
1. Determining the offence category – seriousness determined by culpability and
harm
You must refer to the sentencing guideline for each offence to carry out this step
S 63 Sentencing Code – determining seriousness
The seriousness of the offence is determined by the culpability of the offender
and the harm caused/intended/or might foreseeably have been caused as a result
of offender’s actions
Court uses list of factors specific to offence to determine culpability and harm
Culpability
Example – domestic burglary If it is not obvious e.g. some factors in high
A – high culpability culpability and some factors in medium
B – medium culpability culpability, go for ‘best fit’
C – low culpability
Harm
Use the factors in the guideline to determine the level of harm
‘The level of harm is assessed by weighing up all the factors of the case’
In a property offence, the value of the goods taken may not be the only factor
o Is there sentimental or personal value in the goods taken?
o What is the emotional impact on, or psychological injury to, the victim?
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