Victims and Courts Bill (2025)

In July 2024 the government included a commitment in the Kings speech to legislate to require people who have been convicted to attend their sentencing hearings. Such measures were originally planned in the Criminal Justice Bill 2023 by the then Conservative government, which subsequently fell following the announcement of a general election and the dissolution of parliament. An adapted version of these measures is now included in the Victims and Courts Bill.

We are particularly concerned about new measures which would enable the use of force to compel attendance at sentencing hearings and introduce new prison sanctions for non-compliance. We recognise the distress caused to victims when a convicted person fails to appear, but we believe these measures are disproportionate, unnecessary under existing law and policy, and risk unintended consequences for prison safety. We are particularly concerned about the potential for people entering custody with sanctions in place; and the impact these will have on safety — particularly in the first days in custody.

Furthermore, it could have the unintended consequence of damaging the confidence of victims and the wider public in the justice system by creating an expectation that prisoners must be forced to attend hearings which cannot realistically be fulfilled.