If a defendant in a court case is found guilty of a crime, a judge or magistrate will decide on a suitable sentence. A sentence needs to: protect the public; punish the offender fairly and appropriately; encourage them to make amends for their crime; and contribute to stopping reoffending and cutting crime.
There are four sentencing options available to judges and magistrates: discharges; fines; community sentences; and prison, for the most serious offences. The sentences imposed by judges and magistrates in individual cases are entirely up to them, within the maximum penalties set by law, although they must normally follow the sentencing guidelines produced by the Sentencing Guidelines Council.
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