UK Government Announces More Sentencing Powers for Magistrates in Bid to Tackle Court Backlog

UK Government Announces More Sentencing Powers for Magistrates in Bid to Tackle Court Backlog
Undated photo showing Lady Justice statue on top of the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales, commonly referred to as the Old Bailey, in central London. Clara Molden/PA
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Magistrates in England and Wales will be given more sentencing powers in a bid to tackle the backlog of cases waiting to be dealt with by criminal courts.

In the latest effort to reduce the number of outstanding cases and the pressure faced by crown courts during the coronavirus pandemic, magistrates will be able to hand out jail terms of up to a year—double the current maximum of six months.