West Midlands' criminals among 61 to see their sentences increased over past year
Criminals in the West Midlands are among more than 60 crooks who have had their sentences increased after they were deemed to be too lenient.
Under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme, victims of crime, members of the public, and the Crown Prosecution Service can ask for crown court sentences to be reviewed if they believe they are too low.
New figures show that 61 offenders had their sentences increased in 2020.
They include a conviction of possession of a prohibited firearm dealt with at Wolverhampton Crown Court, which saw the defendant's prison term increased from two years and six months to five years.
At Birmingham Crown Court a defendant who was jailed for three years two months for death by dangerous driving saw their sentenced upped to four years.
Four other defendants who went before the region's courts saw their sentences remain unchanged after they were considered by the Attorney General’s Office.
They include two Wolverhampton murder convictions, where the sentences have remained at life imprisonment with a minimum of 19 years and 30 years respectively.
Cases are reviewed by the Court of Appeal if law officers believe sentences are too low.
A total of 552 cases were put forward for review last year, 97 of which were referred to judges.
Among the cases resulting in increased sentences was Reynhard Sinaga, who was convicted of 159 sex offences including 136 rapes. He had his life sentence increased to include a minimum of 40 years in prison instead of 30.
And police officer Timothy Brehmer had his sentence increased to 13-and-a-half years for the manslaughter of 41-year-old Claire Parry.
The figures show that five people were put behind bars after avoiding prison at their original sentencing.
The scheme was brought in in 1989 was after a public outcry over a string of lenient sentences, including the 1986 ‘Ealing vicarage rape’ case where 21-year-old Jill Saward was raped by burglars at her father’s vicarage.
Attorney General Michael Ellis QC, the MP for Northampton North, said the scheme gave "victims and their families had a second chance at justice".
“In the vast majority of cases judges get it right, but the scheme remains an important tool to ensure that cases can be reviewed where there may have been a gross error in the sentencing decision," he said.
"It’s not just about increasing sentences, the scheme also provides an important avenue for my office to ask the Court of Appeal for guidance, to help shape the sentencing framework and ensure more consistent sentencing for complex cases.”
