Publication of the Sentencing Council’s definitive sentencing guideline on Child Cruelty offences

 

The Sentencing Council has today published the Sentencing Council’s definitive guideline on child cruelty offences in accordance with section 120 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009. 

 

The guidelines will come into force on 1 January 2019 and will apply to all offenders aged 18 and older, who are sentenced on or after that date, regardless of the date of the offence.

 

The definitive guideline includes three guidelines covering four offences: cruelty to a child (assault or ill-treatment, neglect, abandonment and failure to protect), causing or allowing a child to die, causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm, and failure to protect a girl from the risk of female genital mutilation (FGM).

 

This guideline replaces the existing child cruelty guideline, published by the Sentencing Guidelines Council in 2008, which covered cruelty to a child and overarching principles on assaults on children. Offences of child cruelty are complex and can cover a wide range of behaviour; the new guideline seeks to provide structure and consistency when sentencing for these types of offences. For the first time there will be guidelines available for the newer offences of causing or allowing a child to die or suffer serious physical harm and failing to protect a girl from the risk of FGM. 

 

The definitive guidelines have been produced following a process of research, analysis and public consultation.  As ever with Sentencing Council consultations, the views of our consultees were carefully considered as we developed the final guidelines.

 

The guidelines are available to download from our website - www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk. Alongside the guidelines, we have also published a response document which sets out the changes that have been made since the consultation as well as a resource assessment.

 

Best wishes

 

Steve

 

Steve Wade

Head of the Office of the Sentencing Council