The Sentencing Council has published a Definitive Guideline on the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which applies to all offenders aged 18 years and over who are sentenced on or after April
It is essential that the brief to the advocate contains detailed information covering all relevant issues contained in the Rape Prosecutions Advice/Review Checklist and highlight any key information, which is relevant to any sentencing hearing.
Under sections 23 - 30 Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 (YJCEA) a range of special measures are available to support reluctant or vulnerable witnesses to give their bes