Debate contribution: Sentencing Practices in Northern Ireland
Debate contribution by Ms Connie Egan on .
- MLA
- Ms Connie Egan
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 23 June 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- Sentencing Practices in Northern Ireland
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5046319
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Sentencing practice is an integral cog in our wider justice machinery, and getting it right is essential to ensuring public trust and confidence in Northern Ireland's governance. I am pleased that we have the opportunity to debate this important subject today. As the motion acknowledges, there will always be complex cases, each with its individualities, that come before the judiciary. Essential to that process is ensuring that judges are as well equipped as possible to make fair, balanced and substantiated decisions. Judges must be supported in that through guidance and professional development in evolving areas of legislation and practice, and delivering that is a matter for the Lady Chief Justice. It is paramount to underline at this stage that it is our role as legislators to set the sentence maxima for each offence that the court encounters, whereas sentencing decisions on the whole are determined by the independent judiciary on the basis of the circumstances of each case and the sentencing guidance that is available. The separation of those powers is important in a healthy, democratic society. An important point that is not in the motion is that it is within the PPS's gift to refer sentences to the Court of Appeal if it believes that they are unduly lenient. About two thirds of Crown Court cases are eligible for referral, and the pending sentencing Bill will extend that further. The judiciary have a wide range of potential sentences at their disposal. What is important, however, on the road to developing and improving sentencing practice is how those sentences are communicated and followed up on. It is in that space that public confidence is built. The decision taken on an alleged offence and the consequences of that must be appropriately communicated to the victims and witnesses, who should be at the centre of our decision-making.
Sinn Féin's amendment goes some way to encapsulating the next steps after a sentence is issued. To truly reduce reoffending and improve sentencing practice, recognising the need for true cross-government and multi-agency collaboration is instrumental. The 2023 Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) report 'Reducing Adult Reoffending in Northern Ireland' also highlights why the commitment to a cross-departmental strategy on reducing reoffending in the Programme for Government is so important. The Minister of Justice is already taking proactive steps on the issues that the motion sets out. She has already announced her intention to introduce a sentencing Bill as part of her legislative programme for this mandate, alongside undertaking a wider review of sentencing issues. I introduce into the debate the need to increase the visibility of what happens inside our courts, including an exploration of broadcasting certain proceedings while at the same time protecting vulnerable witnesses. In that context, I welcome the Department's consultation on the broadcasting of court proceedings, with its proposals that aim to support open justice, improve transparency in the conduct of court business and enhance public confidence and trust in the justice system. The results of the Commissioner for Victims of Crime's victim survey from 2023-24 showed that 50% of those who responded:
"reported that, following conviction in court, the sentence was not clearly explained to them".
We need to address the fact that victims and witnesses deserve an understanding of the process that they have just gone through. The draft victims and witnesses of crime strategy 2025-2030 will support that happening, as it includes a dedicated pillar on empowering victims to understand criminal justice decisions. We need to deliver for victims and witnesses in criminal and civil proceedings. A deeper and more public understanding of sentencing plays a core role in doing just that.
604 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.03 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.94).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.02 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.94 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.03 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-related subject | 0.93 |
| Legacy of the Troubles, victims and paramilitarism | 0.03 |
| Another identity-related subject | 0.02 |
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.01 |
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.01 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:51 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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