Compulsory attendance at sentencing

The British govt intends making it mandatory for convicted criminals to attend their sentencing. Do you think there's any point to this? It's proposed after a nurse who killed babies did not attend her sentencing (life in prison).

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ArtieKat · M

It's proposed after a nurse who killed babies did not attend her sentencing

I think you'll find it's not a new proposition - it's certainly been raised a few times earlier this year over various fatal shootings in England. Without actually looking it up, I must say that my impression is that this refusal by convicted criminals to appear in Court is a fairly recent phenomenon. I certainly can't remember it ever being an issue earlier in my life.

Really · 80-89, M

@ArtieKat I've not been aware of it before. Haven't lived in Britain for decades now and only recently read about it.

ArtieKat · M

@Really But the real question is whether you can remember a time while you were resident here of convicted criminals being permitted not to attend sentencing. I would have thought that Contempt of Court would have been added to the charges.

Really · 80-89, M

@ArtieKat No, the real questions here are the the ones I posit in my opening post. What point do people see in this proposed legislation - what effect will it have on the rule of law?

ArtieKat · M

@Really Thanks for deleting my comments. No point in me adding anything else.

ninalanyon · 61-69, T

@ArtieKat It would only be contempt if they had been ordered to attend by the court and refused to do so.

ArtieKat · M

@ninalanyon Good point

Really · 80-89, M

@ArtieKat

Thanks for deleting my comments.

You're absolutely welcome! I assume you're not being sarcastic? I'm not, and it seldom works on SW anyway.

ArtieKat · M

@Really You can assume what you like. I'll assume that

not pushing hard fixed opinions;

on your profile is disingenuous to say the least.

Really · 80-89, M

@ArtieKat
ok

MartinII · 70-79, M

@ArtieKat I agree. It also seems rather odd that legislation should be necessary. As a general rule, aren’t convicted criminals supposed to do as they are told, within reason?