Judges gain powers to punish convicted killers who refuse to attend sentencing
New powers allow UK judges to impose additional prison time on offenders who refuse to appear in the dock, following campaigns by victims’ families for those convicted to face sentencing in open court.
A British judge adds another calendar to a person-sized stack occupying an otherwise empty defendant’s chair. Two victims’ relatives watch from the public gallery. The calendars symbolise extra prison time: a possible deterrent to refusing sentencing, but not a substitute for the offender’s presence.
Join the conversation