Tag: Attorney General

The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 24 May 2023.

The Attorney General has updated Parliament that significant action has been taken across all 11 of Sir David’s recommendations.

The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 19 May 2023.

The parents of a 16-year-old girl who died after she was neglected have been ordered to serve longer in prison following a review of their sentences.

Alun Titford, 44, and Sarah Lloyd Jones, 39, the parents of Kaylea Titford, were convicted of gross negligence manslaughter following the teenager’s death at her home in Newton, Powys in October 2020.

Kaylea was wheelchair dependant, with acute medical needs including assistance to use the toilet.

The court heard that the teenager had not seen a medical professional in the nine months leading up to her death. She had become morbidly obese with a weight of 146kg and was immobile.

Her bedroom was unfit for living in, surrounded by bottles of urine and faeces. Maggots were found on her body and her bedlinen was soiled.

Her parents, who were found to have failed to provide adequate care, will now serve longer prison terms after their case was reviewed under the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme.

Alun Titford was originally sentenced to seven years and six months’ imprisonment and Sarah Lloyd-Jones was sentenced to six years. Both were sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on 1 March 2023.

Following the review, Alun Titford will now serve ten years’ imprisonment and Sarah Lloyd-Jones will serve eight years.

Following the hearing on 19 May at the Court of Appeal, the Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson KC MP said:

This was a deeply distressing and upsetting case, and my thoughts today are with all of those who loved Kaylea.

Kaylea was subjected to horrific neglect by her parents and the court’s decision to extend Alun Titford and Sarah Lloyd Jones’ sentences sends a clear message that child abuse will never be tolerated.

Following multiple referrals of the sentence to the Attorney General’s Office as potentially unduly lenient, the Solicitor General agreed it should be referred to the Court of Appeal.

The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 15 May 2023.

The Solicitor General, Michael Tomlinson KC MP, provides a statement on the case of Thomas Cashman.

The Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson KC MP said:

Olivia Pratt-Korbell’s senseless murder at the hands of Thomas Cashman shocked and sickened the nation.

Because of the strong feelings this case evokes, it was little surprise that I received several requests under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, to consider the sentence of life imprisonment with a minimum term of 42 years that was handed down to him.

My duty as a Law Officer in considering whether sentences may be unduly lenient is to act independently of government, even when it is not easy or popular.

Having received detailed legal advice and considered the issues raised very carefully, I have concluded Cashman’s case cannot properly be referred to the Court of Appeal.

Such a referral can only be made if the rigorous legal test is met, irrespective of the seriousness of the crime or the emotions the offending may evoke. The threshold for referral is a high one, and that was not met in this case.

The test is only met if the sentencing judge made a gross error or imposed a sentence outside the range reasonably available in the circumstances of the offending.

My thoughts remain with Olivia’s family and friends who have shown such immeasurable strength during this devastating time.

Background:

• Thomas Cashman was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 42 years, less time served on remand, following his conviction after trial. The sentencing judge, Mrs Justice Yip DBE, decided that the appropriate starting point set out in legislation was a minimum term of 30 years, which she increased by 12 years to reflect the seriousness and aggravating factors of the case.
• More information on the ULS scheme, including who can refer and for what reasons, can be found on GOV.UK
• Anyone can ask for a sentence to be reviewed – you do not have to be involved in the case.
• Examples of exceptional circumstances that can lead to a referral under the ULS scheme include if the sentencing judge made a gross error or imposed a sentence outside the range of sentences reasonably available in the circumstances of the offence.

The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 11 May 2023.

The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 9 May 2023.

A banned driver who killed a cyclist and left him for dead has his prison term increased after the Court of Appeal reviewed the original sentence.

Lee Beevers (27), from Normanton, West Yorkshire, has had his original sentence overturned and sent to prison for six years after the Court of Appeal reviewed the case under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

The court heard that on the evening of 13 April 2022, Beevers was driving his friend’s car at speeds of more than 70mph through residential areas.

Despite being uninsured and subject to a driving ban, Beevers ignored his passengers’ requests to slow down and continued to drive along the Wakefield Road at speed.

As Beevers approached a junction with Church Lane, he struck Alan Tankard who was crossing the road on his bicycle wearing visible clothing.

Beevers continued to drive without checking on his victim, who had been propelled into the air. Alan Tankard was pronounced dead at the scene.

Analysis of CCTV evidence calculated that Beevers was driving at 82mph at the point of the collision and neither Lee Beevers nor his passengers called for assistance. The car was then burned to evade detection.

Beevers pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and driving whilst disqualified and was sentenced on 19 January 2023 to four years and eight months and disqualified from driving for five years and four months.

His sentence was increased by the Court of Appeal to six years at a hearing on 21 April 2023.

The Solicitor General, Michael Tomlinson KC MP, said:

Lee Beevers was a persistent offender with several driving convictions already to his name. He repeatedly ignored requests from his passengers to slow down before he callously fled the scene after he smashed into his victim.

I would like to express my sincere condolences to Alan Tankard’s family. While Lee Beevers’ extended sentence won’t change what happened, the court has recognised the severity of his crimes and determined that Lee Beevers should spend longer behind bars for his reckless and heartless actions.

The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 9 May 2023.

Dangerous driver who killed another motorist before fleeing the scene has prison term increased after sentence was referred under Unduly Lenient Sentencing scheme.

John Frazer Yates (28), of no fixed abode, has had his original prison term quashed and will now serve 11 years and three months in jail after the Court of Appeal determined his initial sentence was unduly lenient.

The court heard that at just after midnight on 15 November 2022, Yates was travelling northbound on the M6 motorway, between junction 20 and 21.

Temporary roadworks, which had a speed limit of 50 mph, forced Yates to move into a single lane of traffic. But due to the excessive speed Yates was travelling at, which experts calculated to be 128 mph, he collided with a vehicle driven by a third party before hitting Christopher Smith’s car.

Yates got out of his car and fled the scene, leaving his victim for dead. He was arrested several hours later and refused to provide his details or a breath sample. Once Yates was taken to the hospital, he failed to provide a blood sample.

The Solicitor General, Michael Tomlinson KC MP, said:

John Frazer Yates was travelling at dangerously excessive speeds and through his reckless actions caused the tragic death of another motorist. The offence was aggravated by him callously fleeing the scene not thinking he would be picked up by the CCTV cameras.

I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to Christopher Smith’s family and I welcome the court’s decision to extend Yates’ sentence in what were truly tragic circumstances.

Yates pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and failing to provide a sample. He was sentenced to eight years and three months at Chester Crown Court on 20 January 2023. Yates was also banned from driving for 12-and-a-half years.

His sentence was referred to the Court of Appeal for being unduly lenient and on Thursday 20 April, the court increased Yates sentence to 11 years and three months.

The press release issued by the Attorney General on 4 April 2023.

A man found guilty of multiple sexual offences with a child has had his sentence doubled after the case was referred under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

The press release issued by the Attorney General on 10 March 2023.

A predator who told a woman he met online to sexually assault two young children has his sentence increased by more than two years.

Alan Nicholson, from High Harrington, Cumbria, had his case referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

In September 2021, Alan Nicholson (53) spoke to a woman online, called Louise, who he believed had two daughters, aged five years-old and a baby of four-months.

Their conversations revolved around serious acts of sexual abuse that Nicholson intended to carry out on Louise’s children.

However, Louise was an undercover police officer supporting Cumbria Constabulary’s Cyber and Digital Crime Unit.

Nicholson was found guilty on two counts of attempting to arrange/facilitate the commission of a child sex offence and received a three-year prison sentence.

He was also placed on the Sex Offender’s Register and given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years.

Following the sentencing at the Crown Court at Carlisle on 16 December 2022, the case was referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

Nicholson’s original sentence was found to be unduly lenient by the Court of Appeal on 9 March 2023 and was increased to 5 years 9 months.

Speaking after the hearing, the Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson KC MP, said:

Alan Nicholson believed he was successfully arranging to carry out vile acts on very young children. Thankfully the person he was talking to was an undercover police officer, whose diligent and commendable work led to his imprisonment.

I would like to praise all of those involved for catching Alan Nicholson and helping prevent anyone else come to harm. A longer prison sentence for this despicable crime shows such behaviour cannot and will not be tolerated.

Detective Sergeant James Bailey of Cumbria Constabulary’s Cyber and Digital Crime Unit said:

We welcome the increased sentence given out to Nicholson.

Our specialist officers work hard behind-the-scenes all-year-round to deter offending, catch criminals and safeguard victims.

We will not tolerate those carrying out such crimes and will continue to do what we can to target those offending in this way and bring them to justice.

The press release issued by the Attorney General on 9 March 2023.

Attorney General Victoria Prentis KC MP took part in a three-day visit to Ukraine between March 2-4.

The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 7 March 2023.

A paedophile who sexually assaulted 2 children under the age of 13 will spend an additional 4 years in prison following a challenge to his original sentence under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, meaning he will now serve 15 years’ imprisonment plus 12 months’ extended licence.

Lee Wilson, 40, from South Shields, Tyne and Wear, was sentenced on 18 November 2022 for a total of seven counts of sexual offences against children. These included 3 counts of assault of a child under 13 by penetration, sexual assault of a child under 13 and making indecent photographs of a child.

At the original sentencing at Newcastle Crown Court, Wilson was ordered to serve 11 years’ imprisonment plus 12 months’ extended licence.

His sentence was then referred to the Court of Appeal by the Solicitor General, Michael Tomlinson KC MP, who felt that the sentence handed down to Wilson was unduly lenient.

Following today’s hearing at the Court of Appeal, the Solicitor General said:

The increased sentence handed down to Lee Wilson today shows that sexual crimes against children will always be met with the strongest possible punishment under the law. These were abhorrent crimes, and I welcome the decision of the Court to order Wilson to serve a sentence which better reflects his offending.