News In Focus
4 March 2010
Sentencing and children provision not to be part of bill
An MSP's attempt to require courts to consider the impact on an offender's children before passing a custodial sentence has fallen because of pressure of time on the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Bill.
The amendment to the bill, proposed by SNP member Aileen Campbell, fell after the Justice Committee decided to drop two principal provisions from the bill, expressing broad principles, in order to free up time to deal with other contentious matters to be raised.
These include knife crime, prostitution, and the proposed new law on stalking.
Additional protection for children on sentencing is supported by Children's Commissioner for Scotland Tam Baillie, who argues that children's interests should be taken into account along with other factors before the court.