Views are being sought on a range of issues relating to sentence
reduction for guilty pleas.
Justice Minister has launched a public
consultation on sentence reduction as she continues efforts to
tackle delays in the criminal justice system, improve the victim
experience, and raise public confidence in the criminal justice
system more widely.
Among the issues under consideration is whether the current
system should be revised and whether more should be done to raise
awareness of sentence reduction arrangements.
The consultation is also asking whether the levels of reduction
available for guilty pleas are correct.
It also seeks views on a recommendation made in the Gillen Review
on “really early” guilty pleas when made in relation to certain
offences.
Launching the consultation, Minister Long said: “Northern
Ireland has a high level of cases where long preparations for a
trial are swept away by a change of plea.
“So, this is now the particular area that I would like
considered: improvements to the way cases involving changes of
plea are dealt with and the way in which subsequent sentence
reduction procedures can apply.
“Where an offender admits responsibility early in the
process, it takes away uncertainty and can avoid the trauma for a
victim who might otherwise have to attend court, give evidence
and face cross-examination.
“In these cases, it should also reduce avoidable delay
and allow cases to reach a conclusion much more quickly.
“At the same time, however, sentence reduction can be
seen as being to the advantage of the offender and can damage
public confidence in the court process.
“I am committed to delivering an efficient and effective
justice system and my Department is keen to hear a range of views
from the public and stakeholders on this crucial issue.”
The possibility of imposing a stiffer sentence in cases where a
person who pleads not guilty and is later convicted is not
included in the consultation.
The Minister explained: “Under UK law, everyone is
innocent until proven guilty - a fundamental principle of the
justice system.
“Any proposal for longer sentences for those who plead
not guilty and are then found guilty would, in effect, be
punishing the individual in question for exercising their
fundamental right to plead not guilty.”
More information is available in the consultation section on
the DoJ website: www.justice-ni.gov.uk/consultations/sentence-reduction-guilty-pleas
Responses to the consultation should be made through
the Citizen Space website: consultations.nidirect.gov.uk/doj/sentence-reduction-for-guilty-pleas/
The closing date of the consultation is 11 July 2025.
