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Home » Legal Resources » Legal Guidance » S to U » Sentencing manual

Sentencing Manual

The CPS Sentencing Manual has been designed as a source of information for advocates to assist them with trial preparation, in particular when addressing the court at the sentencing hearing. It consists of templates, grouped by subject headings, based on the chapter headings in Archbold, and provides sentencing guidance on the most commonly encountered offences. It is intended to complement established texts on sentencing, such as Current Sentencing Practice.

Each template signposts the advocate to relevant sentencing guidelines or guideline cases; gives details of statutory limitations and maximum sentences; identifies potential aggravating and mitigating factors for a given offence; and highlights relevant ancillary orders, or other provisions relevant to sentence.

The Manual is also a tool to assist the reviewing lawyer complete the Plea and Sentence document (PSD) as required under the Addendum to the Attorney Generals Guidelines on the Acceptance of Pleas and the Prosecutors Role in the Sentencing Exercise 2005 as amended.

By providing a consistent standard of sentencing assistance to the court, the CPS aims to reduce the number of erroneous sentences being passed and thereby reduce the number of cases referred to the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division).