Child cruelty – Sentencing

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The definitive guidelines on sentencing child cruelty were issued on 6 September 2018 and came into force on 1 January 2019.

The guidelines cover the following offences:

Causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm/ Causing or allowing a child to die Cruelty to a child – assault and ill treatment, abandonment, neglect, and failure to protect Failing to protect a girl from risk of genital mutilation

The consultation on sentencing of child cruelty was published on 13 June 2017 and closed on 13 September 2017.

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: Child cruelty