Changes to the Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Guidelines and associated explanatory materials

What is this consultation about? The Sentencing Council has received suggestions from guideline users in magistrates’ courts on improvements that could usefully be made to guidelines and the explanatory materials that accompany them. The Council has considered these helpful suggestions and has produced this short consultation paper in order to seek the views of a wide range of guideline users on the proposals. The proposed changes relate chiefly to the Magistrates’ Courts Sentencing Guidelines (MCSG) but may also impact on sentencing in the Crown Court for breach of a community order. What is the Sentencing Council? The Sentencing Council is the independent body responsible for developing sentencing guidelines which courts in England and Wales must follow when passing a sentence. The Council consults on its proposed guidelines before they come into force and on any proposed changes to existing guidelines. Whi