Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Guidelines
All sentencing guidelines for use in magistrates’ courts are available on this website and via an app designed for use on iPads, which can be downloaded free of charge from the App Store.
Revisions 2020
Between 22 January 2020 and 15 April 2020, the Council consulted on revisions to some of the magistrates’ court sentencing guidelines and associated explanatory materials.
These changes came into force from 1 October 2020. The guidelines apply to all magistrates’ courts in England and Wales. The changes to the Breach of a community order guideline and Totality guideline will also apply in the Crown Court.
Updates were made to the following guidelines:
Updates were also made to explanatory materials for:
Revisions 2017
Between 19 May 2016 and 11 August 2016, the Council consulted on revisions to some of the magistrates’ court sentencing guidelines. Revised guidelines were published on 24 January 2017 and came into force on 24 April 2017 covering the following offences:
- Alcohol sale offences – Licensing Act 2003, s.141; s.146; s.147
- Animal cruelty – Animal Welfare Act 2006, s.4; s.8 and s.9
- Careless driving – Road Traffic Act 1988, s.3
- Communication network offences – Communications Act 2003, s.127(1)
- Communication network offences – Communications Act 2003 s.127(2)
- Drive whilst disqualified – Road Traffic Act 1988, s.103
- Drugs – fail to attend/remain for initial assessment –Drugs Act 2005, s.12
- Drugs – fail/refuse to provide a sample – Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, s.63B
- Drunk and disorderly in a public place – Criminal Justice Act 1967, s.91
- Excess alcohol (drive/attempt) – Road Traffic Act 1988, s.5(1)(a)
- Excess alcohol (in charge) – Road Traffic Act 1988, s.5(1)(b)
- Fail to provide specimen for analysis (drive/attempt) – Road Traffic Act 1988, s.7(6)
- Fail to provide specimen for analysis (in charge) – Road Traffic Act 1988, s.7(6)
- Fail to stop/report road accident – Road Traffic Act 1988, s.170(4)
- Football related offences – Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc.) Act 1985, s.2(1) and s.2(2), Football Offences Act 1991, s.2, s.3 and s.4 and Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, s.166
- No insurance – Road Traffic Act 1988, s.143
- Obstruct/resist a police constable in execution of duty – Police Act 1996, s.89(2)
- Railway fare evasion – Regulation of Railways Act 1889, s.5(1) and s.5(3)
- School non-attendance – Education Act 1996, s.444(1) and s.444(1A)
- Sexual activity in a public lavatory – Sexual Offences Act 2003, s.71
- Speeding – Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, s.89(1)
- Taxi touting/soliciting for hire – Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, s.167
- TV licence payment evasion – Communications Act 2003, s.363
- Unfit through drink or drugs (drive/attempt) – Road Traffic Act 1988, s.4(1)
- Unfit through drink or drugs (in charge) – Road Traffic Act 1988, s.4(2)
- Vehicle interference – Criminal Attempts Act 1981, s.9
- Vehicle taking, without consent – Theft Act 1968, s.12
Related documents
To support the guidelines and consultations, the Council publishes a range of documents. These documents may include consultation responses, statistical bulletins, resource and equality impact assessments and guideline assessments.
Related documents: Magistrates’ court sentencing guidelines
See also: List of consultation questions (word version) 2017