Rapist and robber jailed in Sheffield among 99 offenders to have sentences increased

A rapist and robber jailed in Sheffield were among 99 offenders whose sentences were increased last year, new figures reveal.
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It has been revealed that last year, 99 offenders had their sentences increased after they were challenged by the Attorney General or Solicitor General, who did not deem the original sentences severe enough.

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A total of 23 offenders were imprisoned immediately after avoiding jail time at their original sentencing hearings.

L-R: Owen Scott and Andrew ParkinL-R: Owen Scott and Andrew Parkin
L-R: Owen Scott and Andrew Parkin

The Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme allows victims of crime, members of the public and the CPS to ask for sentences to be reviewed.

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If deemed too low by either the Attorney General or the Solicitor General, the Court of Appeal is asked to review the sentence.

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Four offenders dealt with with Sheffield Crown Court had their sentenced increased, including Owen Scott, who tried to kill four young children during a drug-induced psychosis.

Scott, of Fawley, Hampshire, was jailed for life after pleading guilty to four counts of attempted murder and was ordered to serve a minimum of 14 behind bars before being eligible to be considered for parole.

But the minimum tariff was later increased to 24 years on appeal.

Scott, who was 29 when he was sentenced, struck his three children and a step child over the head with a hammer before driving his car, with the children inside, into the wall of a pub at Oxspring, near Penistone, Barnsley, at 92mph.

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He made no attempt to brake before the collision and left the children, who were aged between eight years old and nine months at the time, were left with with either serious or life-threatening injuries.

Rapist Andrew Parkin, from Doncaster, also had his sentence increased on appeal – from seven years to 12.

He forced himself on his ex-partner, Ruby Smith, who waived her right to anonymity, while their disabled son slept in the bedroom next door.

Parkin raped his partner of 35 years in three separate incidents after he left her and moved in with another woman.

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The rapist, of Watch House Lane, Bentley, who was 53 when he was sentenced, was found guilty of three counts of rape and one of controlling or coercive behaviour.

An offender jailed in Sheffield for three years and four months for attempted robbery had their sentenced increased to six years and eight months

and another who was jailed for five years and their sentence increased and must now serve an extra three years on years licence.

A fifth of the cases referred to the Attorney General and Solicitor General were referred to the Court of Appeal and 71 per cent of these resulted in an increased sentence.

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Of the 70,000 sentences handed down at Crown Courts in England and Wales last year, around 0.1 per cent of these were found to be unduly lenient.

Solicitor General, Lucy Frazer QC MP, said: “The ULS scheme allows prosecutors, victims of crime, their family and the public to ask for a review of certain sentences they believe to be too low.

“Only one application is required for a case to be considered and it is important for us to receive this as early as possible in order to properly consider a case before the 28 day deadline.

“A sentencing exercise is not an exact science and in the vast majority of cases, judges get it right. The scheme is available to ensure that the Court of Appeal can review cases where there may have been a gross error in the sentencing decision.”