Sentencing guidelines delayed after ‘two-tier’ row

The Sentencing Council says it has delayed the introduction of guidelines which advise judges to consider the lives of offenders from ethnic minority and other backgrounds before deciding on punishment.
It comes after the government said it would pass an emergency law to override the guidance, which prompted claims of “two-tier justice”.
The guidelines were due to come into effect in England and Wales on Tuesday but are now unlikely to be introduced in their original form.
Earlier, the prime minister said he was “very disappointed” and had “no other option” but to pass a law overruling the body, after it previously refused to reconsider the guidance.
But government sources said it would be all but impossible to pass such legislation before Parliament breaks for Easter.

Courtesy: BBC