New sentencing guidelines expected to be suspended after ‘two-tier justice’ row
The Sentencing Council is expected to suspend guidelines which advise judges to consider the lives of offenders from ethnic minority and other backgrounds before deciding on punishment, government sources have told the BBC.
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, after the Sentencing Council refused to reconsider them.
The prime minister said he was “very disappointed” and had “no other option” but to pass a law overruling the body.
But government sources said it would be all but impossible to pass such legislation before Easter.
Source: BBC