Magistrates get enhanced powers

In an attempt to reduce the overwhelming caseload in Crown Courts, the government has decided to give more sentencing powers to magistrates in England & Wales.

In the coming months, the magistrates will be able to give a 12 month jail sentence to criminals; currently the maximum is 6 months.

Currently, cases that required more than six months prison term had to be referred to the Crown Court to be decided by judges. The Ministry of Justice has estimated that the increase in magisterial powers could avoid cases going to the Crown Court and free up around 2,000 extra days of time each a year.  

According to the UK Justice Secretary Dominic Raab, the enhancement will allow magistrates to sentence more serious cases such as fraud, theft and assault.

According to the government statement, keeping more cases in magistrates courts, which have been “less severely affected” by COVID-19 allows crown courts to focus on tackling the backlog that has been built during the COVID pandemic.