Motion or amendment: Improving Sentencing Practices in Northern Ireland
Motion or amendment by Ms Diana Armstrong on .
- MLA
- Ms Diana Armstrong
- Party at the time
- Ulster Unionist Party
- Date
- 27 May 2025
- Type
- Motion or amendment
- Business
- Motion · Private Members' Motion
- Heading
- Improving Sentencing Practices in Northern Ireland
- Assembly identifier
- Document 440828
Read the official Assembly record Open Data source
Text
Improving Sentencing Practices in Northern Ireland
That this Assembly recognises the independence and vital role of the Northern Ireland judiciary and acknowledges the complex nature of the cases that come before the courts; supports the requirement for all judges to take part in ongoing personal and professional development, as directed by the Lady Chief Justice; expresses deep concern at the lenient sentences handed down in some of the most serious cases, including those involving sexual offences; further recognises the lasting harm such sentences can cause to victims and the damage they do to public confidence in the justice system; is alarmed by recent figures showing that nearly 80 per cent of prisoners in Northern Ireland are repeat offenders, highlighting the urgent need for sentencing policy to do more to deter reoffending and protect the public; believes that sentencing should reflect the seriousness of such crimes and meet the expectations of victims and wider society; calls on the Minister of Justice to take urgent and proactive steps to address these concerns, including launching a public consultation on the establishment of a Sentencing Council for Northern Ireland to support greater consistency, transparency and robustness in sentencing; and further calls on the Minister to ensure that, in all relevant cases, victims are provided with written copies of sentencing remarks, at no cost and without delay.
222 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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