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Burglary: Sentencing

Volume 474: debated on Wednesday 26 March 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what changes were made to the sentencing guidelines for (a) magistrates and (b) Crown courts on burglary offences in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. (196119)

Magistrates Courts Sentencing Guidelines, produced by the Magistrates Association with the support of the Lord Chancellor, cover the main offences dealt with in those courts, including burglary. The guidelines were revised in September 2000 and January 2004 and are currently under review by the Sentencing Guidelines Council.

The Court of Appeal issued guidance on domestic burglary in the case of R v. McInerney and Keating (2003) 2 Cr App R (S) 39, which incorporated and added to the guidance in R v. Brewster (1998) 1 Cr App R (S) 181. On 10 March, the Sentencing Guidelines Council issued a draft consultation guideline on theft and burglary (non-dwelling) and will issue a definitive guideline in due course. In December 2004, the Council issued guidelines on seriousness, “Overarching principles: seriousness, and Reduction in sentence for a guilty plea”, which apply in all cases. The latter guideline was revised in July 2007.