A number of new criminal offences and police powers affecting children have been created by the Coronavirus Act 2020 and the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020.
In a letter to judges and magistrates, the Youth Justice Legal Centre along with 13 others, have urged courts to exercise extreme caution before remanding and sentencing children to custody during the coronavirus pandemic. The risks, both physical and mental, that children in custody will be exposed to during this time will, in most cases, outweigh the need for custody.
The current Coronavirus pandemic has significant implications for children in youth justice system. Just for Kids Law, Children's Rights Alliance for England and the Youth Justice Legal Centre have written to the Home Office setting out our concerns about children coming into contact with the police during this period.
The appellant’s extended sentence of 12 years was quashed following a finding that the trial judge did not take into account his age, both at the time of offending and at the time of sentencing, and in the context of assessing dangerousness
CRAE have published two briefings which provide an overview of children’s right and the use of taser and spit-hood by police. They set out the serious concerns over their increased use on children, the specific risks to children, the latest data and the disproportionate use on children from BAME groups.
Youth Justice Annual Statistics from 2018-2019 for England and Wales, Youth Justice Board and Ministry of Justice, January 2020 This publication considers the flow of children (aged 10-17) through the Youth Justice System in England and Wales from 1st April 2018 to 31st March 2019. In particular, it considers the number of children in the […]
This Court of Appeal judgment clarified how and when mental health conditions can affect sentencing children.
The Court of Appeal clarified the correct approach to calculating a custodial sentence when sentencing children and young people, where regard is to be had to adult sentencing guidelines.
R v Reid Yaanan Gabriel Raphael, Shannon Louise Roberts [2019] EWCA Crim 2346 The Court of Appeal clarified the correct approach to reducing a sentence following a guilty plea and Newton hearing. Details The two appellants, aged 19 and 21, pleaded guilty to two offences; conspiracy to rob and conspiracy to carry an imitation firearm […]
