Offenders in the United Kingdom who refuse to attend their sentencing hearings will face new, more stringent penalties, including extended periods in their cells and restrictions on prison privileges and visits. The Ministry of Justice has introduced measures allowing judges to impose additional punishments ranging from 10 days to 12 weeks for individuals who decline to appear in court.
These new powers, set to be enacted next year, follow a series of high-profile cases where convicted criminals deliberately avoided their sentencing hearings. The penalties include up to three weeks of solitary confinement in their cells. Additionally, offenders may lose prison privileges, such as access to gyms or in-cell televisions, for up to 12 weeks. They could also face a ban on social visits for up to 27 days, with an exception for children visiting a parent. Alternatively, prison visits could be limited to once every four weeks for a period of up to 12 weeks.
Offenders aged 18 to 20 will face shorter terms, such as 10 days confined to their cells and 21 days of lost privileges. Judges have the discretion to impose shorter periods than the maximums outlined in the legislation.
Previous legal changes allowed for fines or up to two years' additional imprisonment for contempt of court for those refusing to attend sentencing. However, for individuals already facing lengthy prison terms, such as murderers, additional jail time has been seen as a minimal deterrent. The new measures aim to make the initial weeks of post-conviction incarceration less comfortable for those who refuse to face justice.
Prisons Minister Catherine McKinnell stated that criminals should not be able to choose when they face justice, describing refusal to attend sentencing as an insult to victims and their families. She affirmed the government's commitment to strengthening the law and providing judges with tougher punishments for non-compliance.
Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales, Claire Waxman, welcomed the announcement, noting the persistent efforts of victims' families to ensure offenders do not evade accountability. She emphasized the importance of consistent application of these powers by courts and prisons to deliver justice and accountability to families.
The new rules will also apply to offenders whose disruptive behavior leads to their removal from the courtroom during proceedings.
The Victims and Courts Act, which details these measures, was published and is expected to come into force next year. The previous Conservative government had proposed similar powers in a Bill in 2024, but it was abandoned due to the calling of a General Election.
Notable cases that prompted these changes include Southport killer Axel Rudakubana, who refused to attend his sentencing in January last year for the murders of three young girls. He was sentenced to a minimum of 52 years and later moved to Broadmoor high-security psychiatric hospital. Jordan McSweeney, who murdered aspiring lawyer Zara Aleena in 2022, also refused to attend his sentencing hearing and received a minimum tariff of 38 years, later reduced to 33. Drug dealer Thomas Cashman, who murdered nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel in 2022, similarly refused to be present for his sentencing, receiving a minimum tariff of 42 years. Zara Aleena's aunt, Farah Naz, had previously advocated for sentencing hearings to be broadcast in prison cells for absent offenders, with CCTV installed for families to observe their reactions.
Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy commented that while the reforms are welcome, questions remain about whether the government could have implemented more far-reaching measures. He stressed that every victim deserves justice and that offenders refusing to face victims' families at sentencing should receive the harshest possible punishment.